Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 1 -
Tutorial PlanningPME Orion
User Guide
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 2 -
Copyright © 2002-2021 TARGET SKILLS. All rights reserved.
Corporate Headquarters
TARGET SKILLS
1-3 rue Marcel Carné
91080 Courcouronnes
FRANCE
Website : http://www.planningpme.com
Telephone: +33 (0)1 61 61 20 80
TARGET SKILLS believes the information in this publication is accurate as of its publication date. The
information is subject to change without notice.
THE INFORMATION IN THIS PUBLICATION IS PROVIDED “AS IS”. TARGET SKILLS MAKES NO REPRESENTATIONS
OR WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND WITH RESPECT TO THE INFORMATION IN THIS PUBLICATION AND
SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIMS IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR
PURPOSE.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, transmitted, transcribed, stored in a retrieval system or
translated into any language in any form or by any means without the written permission of TARGET
SKILLS.
All trademarks herein are the sole property of their respective owners.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 3 -
Table of contents
VOCABULARY USED IN THE SOFTWARE .......................................... 13 What is a human resource? ............................................................................. 13
What is a material resource? ........................................................................... 13
What is an event? ........................................................................................ 13
What is an unavailability? .............................................................................. 13
What is a resource "to plan"? ........................................................................... 13
What is a department? .................................................................................. 13
RESOURCES ............................................................................ 14 Create resources .................................................................................................. 14
Label ....................................................................................................... 15
Resource type............................................................................................. 15
Hide this resource........................................................................................ 15
Other information ........................................................................................ 16
Display one or more resources on the screen ....................................................... 16
Zoom on resources of the type “To plan” .................................................................. 16 What is it used for? ...................................................................................... 16
Floating .................................................................................................... 17
Fixed ....................................................................................................... 17
Height ...................................................................................................... 17
Display a panel: have your events listed ............................................................. 17
DEPARTMENTS......................................................................... 17 Group resources by department ............................................................................... 17
Create departments ..................................................................................... 17
Display one or more departments on the screen ................................................... 19
Resources order by department ............................................................................... 20 From the menu Data -> Department .................................................................. 20
Drag and Drop from the screen ........................................................................ 21
TIME PROFILES ........................................................................ 21 Create time profile ............................................................................................... 21 Assign a time profile to a resource ........................................................................... 22 Job contracts ...................................................................................................... 23
SKILLS ................................................................................... 24 How to create domains and skills? ............................................................................ 24 Assign skills to your resources ................................................................................. 25 Assign skills to your tasks ....................................................................................... 25 Check for skills adequacy ....................................................................................... 25 Filter skilled resources on the planning board ............................................................. 25
TASKS LIST ............................................................................. 26 Customise your list of tasks..................................................................................... 26
EVENTS CATEGORY ................................................................... 27 Define the list of categories .................................................................................... 27 Assign a category to an event .................................................................................. 29 Fast change of the category for several events of one resource ...................................... 29 Have the category displayed on the schedule .............................................................. 29
UNAVAILABILITIES LIST: ABSENCES, VACATIONS, LEAVES ................... 30 Customise your list or unavailability ......................................................................... 30
Pre-recording of the unavailibilities list ............................................................. 30
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 4 -
Visualise your days off ........................................................................................... 31 Visualise all your employees leaves .................................................................. 31
General Setting for the count.......................................................................... 32
EVENTS STATUS ....................................................................... 32 Definition ........................................................................................................... 32 How to activate the status ? .................................................................................... 32 Customize your status list ...................................................................................... 33 Assign a status to an event ..................................................................................... 33 Filter the schedule by status ................................................................................... 34 Access right management ....................................................................................... 34 Rename "Task status" and « Unavailability status » with your own words........................... 34
PUBLIC HOLIDAYS .................................................................... 34
CLIENTS ................................................................................. 35 Activation of the option ......................................................................................... 35 Add, modify and delete clients ................................................................................ 35 Import your client’s database .................................................................................. 37
PROJECTS .............................................................................. 37 Activation of the option Project ............................................................................... 37 Add, modify and delete projects .............................................................................. 37
From the “Project” icon within the event window ................................................ 38
From the “Project” view ............................................................................... 40
Search for a project .............................................................................................. 41 Search from the “glass” icon in the event window ................................................ 41
Search from the project view .......................................................................... 41
Search from search window (Edit -> Search or CTRL + F)......................................... 42
Hide a project ..................................................................................................... 42 Delete several projects .......................................................................................... 43 Assign your projects to a client ................................................................................ 43
Results when filtering by client ....................................................................... 44
Results while creating a new event ................................................................... 44
From Version 4.1. Assign your projects to a department ............................................... 44 Tab Events: follow up of events allocated to a project .................................................. 45 History on the project creation and updates ............................................................... 46 Manage subprojects with PlanningPME ....................................................................... 46
Activation of the option SubProject .................................................................. 46
Add a subproject ......................................................................................... 46
Assign a subproject to an event ....................................................................... 48
Options around “projects” ..................................................................................... 48 Customization of the terms "Project" and "Subproject". .......................................... 48
Add additional fields on the Project window. ...................................................... 48
Colours in function of a project ....................................................................... 48
Events dependencies – Gantt diagram................................................................ 48
CREATE YOUR EVENTS OR UNAVAILABILITIES ON THE SCHEDULE ......... 49 Create an event ................................................................................................... 50
Draw a rectangle on the schedule with your mouse ............................................... 50
Via a Double-click ........................................................................................ 50
Via a right click ........................................................................................... 50
Go to the menu Action -> Task ........................................................................ 50
Intuitive typing of the tasks label ..................................................................... 51
Create unavailability ............................................................................................. 51 Draw a rectangle on the schedule with your mouse ............................................... 51
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 5 -
Via a right click ........................................................................................... 51
Go to the menu Action -> Unavailability ............................................................. 51
Panels to create events and unavailabilities with a drag and drop .................................... 53 Activate from the menu Data .......................................................................... 54
Activate from the menu “View” ....................................................................... 54
Create your events easily via the panels ............................................................ 55
Manage your events "on hold" or "to plan" easily ................................................... 55
Force the creation of an event ................................................................................ 55 Even if the resource is already busy .................................................................. 55
Even if the resource is not skilled..................................................................... 57
Copy / Paste ........................................................................................................ 59 Copy/Paste one event or unavailability .............................................................. 59
Copy/Paste several items of a resource to another ............................................... 59
Copy/Paste several items via the selection Mode .................................................. 60
Assign an event/unavailability to several resources ...................................................... 60 Create Multi-resources events ......................................................................... 61
Separate Multi-resources events ...................................................................... 62
CREATE PERIODICAL EVENTS ....................................................... 64 Create a periodical event ....................................................................................... 64
Daily recurrence .......................................................................................... 65
Weekly recurrence ....................................................................................... 65
NEW!!! From version 4.1. Monthly recurrence ...................................................... 65
Yearly recurrence ........................................................................................ 66
Delete an occurrence or delete the series .................................................................. 66 Get off the recurrence one or several events .............................................................. 67
MODIFICATIONS OF EVENTS AND UNAVAILABILITIES .......................... 69 Shift an event or unavailability on the schedule .......................................................... 69
Via a Drag and Drop ..................................................................................... 69
Open the window ........................................................................................ 69
Shift several items via the selection mode .......................................................... 69
Stretch the box with your mouse directly .................................................................. 69 Confirmation message while shifting an event ............................................................. 69 Forbid events modification ..................................................................................... 70
Lock your events ......................................................................................... 70
Forbid creation and modification of events prior to the present day .......................... 71
Split an event into 2 events on different durations ................................................ 73
Burst an event into several 1-day duration events ....................................................... 73
UNDO FUNCTION ...................................................................... 73 When you create an event or unavailability ................................................................ 73 When you shift an event or unavailability ........................................................ 73 When you split or divide an event or unavailability ......................................... 73 When you copy and paste an event or unavailability ....................................... 73
DELETE EVENTS OR UNAVAILABILITIES .......................................... 73 Delete one event/unavailability ............................................................................... 73 Delete several events/unavailabilities ....................................................................... 74
EVENT DURATION ..................................................................... 74 Assignment of a duration to the event in hours or days ................................................. 74
How to use this feature? ................................................................................ 74
Slots button within the event window ....................................................................... 76 Define a break while creating an event ..................................................................... 78
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 6 -
EVENTS OPTIONS ..................................................................... 79 Number of resources by default ............................................................................... 79 Display a percentage of assignment .......................................................................... 80 Display a button « Availability » ............................................................................... 82 Event reminder using a date ................................................................................... 82 Display parameters tab in the event ......................................................................... 82 Display invoicing tab in the event ............................................................................. 84 Assign only one event at the same time to a resource ................................................... 84 Do not add new labels ........................................................................................... 85 Visualise rapidly events with comments ..................................................................... 85
NAVIGATION ........................................................................... 86 Change the time scale and dates .............................................................................. 86
Time period displayed................................................................................... 86
Zoom in/out ............................................................................................... 86
Date choice ............................................................................................... 87
Go from one week to another via shortcuts keys .................................................. 87
Change the date from the arrows ..................................................................... 87
Change the views ................................................................................................. 87 Views available ........................................................................................... 87
Ways to change the view ............................................................................... 88
AGENDA VIEW ......................................................................... 88 Display the agenda View ........................................................................................ 89
From the drop-down list ................................................................................ 89
From the resource view ................................................................................. 89
Types of view ...................................................................................................... 90 Daily View ................................................................................................. 90
Weekly view ............................................................................................... 90
Monthly view .............................................................................................. 91
Settings of the view .............................................................................................. 91 Column width ............................................................................................. 91
Time Scale ................................................................................................. 91
See minutes on the time scale......................................................................... 92
LIST VIEW .............................................................................. 92 Columns available ................................................................................................. 93 Display Additional fields in the List View .................................................................... 93 Selection, Ordering and grouping of the columns ......................................................... 93
Columns selection ........................................................................................ 93
Ascending or descending order ........................................................................ 93
Columns ordering ........................................................................................ 93
Filters ................................................................................................................ 93 Consult, modify and delete events ........................................................................... 94 Consult, modify and delete events ........................................................................... 94 Copy events or Export to Excel ................................................................................ 94
FILTERS ................................................................................. 94 Drop Down filters ................................................................................................. 94
Filter the resources by department .................................................................. 94
Filter the resources by name .......................................................................... 95
Filter by category ........................................................................................ 95
Filter by skill .............................................................................................. 95
Filter by task label ....................................................................................... 95
Filter by unavailability .................................................................................. 95
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 7 -
Filter by client ............................................................................................ 95
Filter by project .......................................................................................... 96
Function In Use / Available ..................................................................................... 96 Filters ergonomy improved: Option to filter the lines ................................................... 96 Creation of personal filters combination .................................................................... 96 Filters on additional fields ...................................................................................... 96
OVERVIEW OF THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF FIELDS AVAILABLE ............... 98 Text .................................................................................................................. 98 Comment ............................................................................................................ 98 Choice ............................................................................................................... 99 Date .................................................................................................................. 99 Hour ................................................................................................................ 100 Number ............................................................................................................ 100 Decimal Number ................................................................................................. 100 Yes/No ............................................................................................................. 100 Separator ......................................................................................................... 100 Link to file ........................................................................................................ 100 NEW!!! File ....................................................................................................... 100 Geolocation....................................................................................................... 100 Type Signature .................................................................................................. 101
CREATE ADDITIONAL FIELDS ..................................................... 101 Select in which window to have your new fields ........................................................ 101 Enter the Tab Title ............................................................................................. 102 Create your new fields within this tab ..................................................................... 102
SETTINGS AVAILABLE WHEN YOU CREATE A NEW FIELD ................... 103 Column, Length, Width, Height .............................................................................. 103 Creation on the main window: dimensions X, Y to specify ............................................ 104 Mandatory field .................................................................................................. 104
-> Mandatory standard fields ......................................................................... 104
-> Mandatory additional fields ........................................................................ 105
Visible on the mobile version ................................................................................ 105 Filter for fields of the type Choice ......................................................................... 105 What is it used for? ............................................................................................. 106 How to create those "Equipments"? ........................................................................ 107 Select an equipment while creating a new event ....................................................... 108 Select the fields to display on the event window ....................................................... 109 Select the fields to display on the planning board ...................................................... 109
QUICK VIEW OF THE EXTRA FIELDS ............................................. 110 Visualisation on a new column ............................................................................... 110 Display the additional fields on the box ......................................................... 111
FILTER ON EXTRA FIELDS ......................................................... 112 Create customised filters from fields of the type “Choice” .......................................... 112
Activate the filter ....................................................................................... 112
Visualisation of the filter .............................................................................. 112
Filter the planning based on an extra field .................................................... 113
IMPORT YOUR DATA ................................................................ 113
INTRODUCTION ...................................................................... 114
PRACTICAL CASE: PROJECT STEPS .............................................. 115
PRACTICAL CASE: ASSIGNING EQUIPMENT TO RESOURCES ................ 117
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 8 -
PRACTICAL CASE: TRAINING MANAGEMENT ................................... 120
COLOURS ON THE PLANNING BOARD ........................................... 124 Select the colour displayed for the box ................................................................... 124 Select the colour by default .................................................................................. 124 Play with the events gradient colours ..................................................................... 125
SELECT FIELDS DISPLAYED FOR THE BOX, THE TOOLTIP AND THE LIST VIEW ................................................................................... 127
Fields within the event box .................................................................................. 127 Tooltip ............................................................................................................. 128 List and indicators .............................................................................................. 128
TIMETABLE PREFERENCES ........................................................ 129 Working week .................................................................................................... 129 First day of the week .......................................................................................... 129 Timetables ........................................................................................................ 130
Beginning and End time ................................................................................ 130
Morning ................................................................................................... 130
Afternoon ................................................................................................. 130
Beginning of night hours ............................................................................... 130
PREFERENCES OF THE PLANNING FROM THE LANGUAGE MENU .......... 131 Language .......................................................................................................... 131 Terms .............................................................................................................. 131 Other............................................................................................................... 132
Number of decimal points ............................................................................. 132
Decimal Separator ...................................................................................... 132
Monetary symbol ........................................................................................ 132
Hours and dates format ................................................................................ 132
OTHER PREFERENCES .............................................................. 133 Preferences of the planning from the Options menu ................................................... 133
Font and size ............................................................................................. 133
Brand ...................................................................................................... 133
Maximum height of one line........................................................................... 133
Number of visible lines ................................................................................. 133
Display the event on all the day whatever its duration .......................................... 133
Activate refresh button ................................................................................ 134
Select the first week of the year and display week numbers......................................... 134 First week of the year: ................................................................................. 135
Display the week number .............................................................................. 135
Why should you hide the week number? ............................................................ 135
Non working days keep visible ............................................................................... 136
SEARCH YOUR DATA AND SEARCH AVAILABLE RESOURCES ............... 137 Function “Search” (CTRL + F) ............................................................................... 137
Find an event ............................................................................................ 137
Open or Delete an event ............................................................................... 138
Search on additional fields ............................................................................ 138
Search for resources, clients and projects ................................................................ 138 From the menu Data .................................................................................... 138
From the planning board directly .................................................................... 138
From the event window ................................................................................ 139
Search for available resources ............................................................................... 139
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 9 -
Settings to find your available resources ........................................................... 140
Create your event ....................................................................................... 141
Option “Go to” .......................................................................................... 141
INDICATORS: PLANNING DATA DISPLAYED ON REAL TIME ................. 142 What is an indicator? ........................................................................................... 142 How to create an indicator? .................................................................................. 142 The Indicator menu............................................................................................. 142
Count ...................................................................................................... 143
View ................................................................................................................ 145 Using the indicators ............................................................................................ 145
Limiting the number of –a task- on the schedule.................................................. 145
The Not-worked time of a department ............................................................. 147
Criteria to select ................................................................................................ 148 Type ....................................................................................................... 148
Statistics .................................................................................................. 148
Unit ........................................................................................................ 148
Dates ...................................................................................................... 149
Filter ...................................................................................................... 149
Column .................................................................................................... 149
Buttons description ............................................................................................. 149 Button Statistics ......................................................................................... 149
Button Copy .............................................................................................. 149
Button Export ............................................................................................ 149
Button Print .............................................................................................. 149
Workload .......................................................................................................... 149 Cost ................................................................................................................ 149 Billing .............................................................................................................. 149
EXCEL PIVOT TABLE................................................................ 150 Create a new Excel report .................................................................................... 151 Different steps and options to create your reports: .................................................... 151
New /Existing report ................................................................................... 151
Beginning Date and End date ......................................................................... 152
Box Department ......................................................................................... 152
Data ....................................................................................................... 152
To analyse ................................................................................................ 152
Lines ....................................................................................................... 152
Columns ................................................................................................... 152
Filters ..................................................................................................... 152
Button Advanced ........................................................................................ 152
Button Excel ............................................................................................. 152
Save your report as an Excel Workbook ................................................................... 152 Build templates and Update your Excel reports easily ................................................. 152
Save your templates .................................................................................... 152
Update your reports .................................................................................... 153
Remove a template ..................................................................................... 153
PRINT OPTIONS...................................................................... 154 Settings before printing ....................................................................................... 154
Fields to print ............................................................................................ 154
Time Period to print .................................................................................... 155
Resources printed: one department or one resource ............................................. 155
Filters ..................................................................................................... 155
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 10 -
Title ....................................................................................................... 155
Print percentage ........................................................................................ 155
Menu File -> Print Configuration ..................................................................... 156
Overview of all the prints available ........................................................................ 156 Graphic schedule ........................................................................................ 156
Operational schedule per resource .................................................................. 157
Operational schedule per client ...................................................................... 157
Daily and weekly schedule ............................................................................ 157
Operational schedule ................................................................................... 158
Status of unavailabilities .............................................................................. 159
Print an event ................................................................................................... 159 Standard print ........................................................................................... 159
Customised event print ................................................................................ 159
VISUALISATION TO HTML PAGES ................................................ 160 Definition ......................................................................................................... 160 Set up .............................................................................................................. 161
Select the views ......................................................................................... 162
Directory .................................................................................................. 162
Size ........................................................................................................ 162
Generate.................................................................................................. 162
SEND AN EMAIL ...................................................................... 163 SMTP Configuration ............................................................................................. 163 Outlook Configuration ......................................................................................... 163
Select the subject of the email sent ................................................................ 163
Select fields on the email sent ....................................................................... 164
Display the message before sending it .............................................................. 164
Attach the mission sheet .............................................................................. 164
Send an email .................................................................................................... 164 Send an Outlook invitation ................................................................................... 165
VISUAL ALARM....................................................................... 166 Activation of a reminder before the beginning of an event........................................... 166 Activation of a reminder specifying a date and a time ................................................. 167
EVENTS NOTIFICATIONS ........................................................... 168 What is a notification? ......................................................................................... 168 Activate notifications .......................................................................................... 168 Visualisation of the notifications on the planning ....................................................... 170
Notification of the type "Badges" .................................................................... 170
Notification of the type "Windows notification" ................................................... 170
List of notifications ..................................................................................... 170
Remove the notifications icons ....................................................................... 171
Other notifications ............................................................................................. 171 Events notifications when the application runs on the background ........................... 171
USERS RIGHTS ....................................................................... 172 Vocabulary used ................................................................................................. 172 Groups creation with specific rights ........................................................................ 173
Tab "General" ............................................................................................ 173
Tab "Resources".......................................................................................... 179
Tab "Client" .............................................................................................. 180
Tab "Options" ............................................................................................ 181
Tab "Event" ............................................................................................... 182
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 11 -
Tab "Unavailability" ..................................................................................... 183
Creation of the users ........................................................................................... 184 Automatic authentication ............................................................................. 185
Give access to only one resource .................................................................... 186
Select or deselect all departments .................................................................. 186
Access rights to clients ........................................................................................ 186 Examples of permissions ...................................................................................... 188
OFFLINE MODE ...................................................................... 188 Minimum requirements ........................................................................................ 188 Resume ............................................................................................................ 188 How to activate this feature? ................................................................................ 188
Menu Data -> Group .................................................................................... 189
Menu Data -> User ...................................................................................... 189
Connect to the planning with your users rights.................................................... 190
When is the offline database created? ..................................................................... 190 How can I see that I am offline? ............................................................................. 190 What can I create when I am offline? ...................................................................... 190 How are conflicts handled? ................................................................................... 191
HISTORY / TRACKING .............................................................. 193 Activation and creation of the new menu “History” ................................................... 193 Information available on the “History” menu ............................................................ 193 Functions available within this new window ............................................................. 194
Filter the list easily ..................................................................................... 194
Order the list chronologically: ........................................................................ 195
Purge the list: ........................................................................................... 195
Copy the list: ............................................................................................ 195
Users rights permissions ............................................................................... 195
Data tracked ..................................................................................................... 195 History of an event ..................................................................................... 195
History of a client ....................................................................................... 196
History of a resource ................................................................................... 197
History of a project ..................................................................................... 197
CONTEXTS MANAGEMENT ......................................................... 198 Activate contexts ............................................................................................... 198 Add, modify or delete the list of contexts ................................................................ 198 Create, modify or delete a context ......................................................................... 200 Display contexts of a department only..................................................................... 200 Intuitive typing .................................................................................................. 201 Create some events and appointments within a context .............................................. 201 Access rights to contexts defined per user ............................................................... 201
EVENTS DEPENDENCIES – GANTT CHART ...................................... 203 Activate this option ............................................................................................ 203 Add, modify, delete a link .................................................................................... 203
Create a link ............................................................................................. 203
Delete a link ............................................................................................. 204
Define a delay between the events ......................................................................... 205 Visualize the direct successors of an event ............................................................... 205 Hide the links on the planning board ....................................................................... 206 Shift events on the planning board ......................................................................... 206
Rules while shifting an event ......................................................................... 206
Example ................................................................................................... 207
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 12 -
EVENTS TEMPLATE ................................................................. 207 Definition of a template ....................................................................................... 207 Create a new template ........................................................................................ 208 Creation of a new “job” from a template ................................................................. 210
Creation................................................................................................... 210
Production ................................................................................................ 211
Create all jobs directly while assigning the template .................................................. 211 Rename “Template” and “Production” ................................................................... 212 Hide links ......................................................................................................... 212 Assign all events to one resource ........................................................................... 213 Delete one event or all linked events ...................................................................... 213
SYNCHRONIZATION WITH OUTLOOK ............................................ 213 Activation of this option ....................................................................................... 213
Fields ...................................................................................................... 214
Do not synchronise events older than ............................................................... 214
Frequency ................................................................................................ 214
You are .................................................................................................... 214
From Outlook to PlanningPME................................................................................ 215 Description ............................................................................................... 215
Fields Synchronized ..................................................................................... 215
Behaviour of the synchronization .................................................................... 215
From PlanningPME to Outlook................................................................................ 216 Synchronization of all the events .................................................................... 216
Synchronization task by task .......................................................................... 216
Fields Synchronized ..................................................................................... 216
Behaviour of the synchronization .................................................................... 217
Behaviour of the synchronization when users rights are activated ................................. 217 1st scenario - Users permissions: Reading access but not writing access ..................... 217
2nd scenario - Groups permissions on the Event field ............................................ 218
Master Data ....................................................................................................... 218 Description of the comments in Outlook .................................................................. 218
IMPORT / EXPORT OF DATA FROM PLANNINGPME ........................... 219 Import ............................................................................................................. 219
Import your clients ..................................................................................... 219
Import events or unavailabilities ..................................................................... 219
Export ............................................................................................................. 220 Clients export ............................................................................................ 220
Events or unavailabilities export ..................................................................... 220
FUNCTIONS FOR IT SPECIALISTS AND DEVELOPERS ......................... 221 Performances of the database ............................................................................... 221 Improve performances ......................................................................................... 221 Have your database hosted on Target Skills servers .................................................... 221 Scripts execution ............................................................................................... 221 Launch of the schedule with criteria ....................................................................... 222 Object model PlanningPME COM ............................................................................. 222 Plugin PlanningPME ............................................................................................. 222
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 13 -
Since 2002, Target Skills developed scheduling and planning tools that are used worldwide by more than
4500 clients, including building companies, administrations, industries, IT.
Track time and tasks assigned to your employees but also manage rooms, facilities, projects,
appointments, meetings easily.
Networkable, highly adaptable, our planning solutions provide an accurate global view of your human and
material resources and improve productivity and efficiency.
This manual describes all features within the software PlanningPME.
Set the data of your planning
Vocabulary used in the software
What is a human resource?
A human resource is a physical person: an employee, a technician, a manager, ...
What is a material resource?
A material resource can be several things: a room, a car, a computer, or any material you need to
manage.
What is an event?
An event is a mission, a work to do by a human or material resource.
A task is represented by a colored rectangle on the schedule.
A task can be: an appointment, room booking, training, or anything specific to your activity.
What is an unavailability?
An unavailability is a day off, a period when the resource is not available.
An unavailability can be: holidays, days off, illness, ...
What is a resource "to plan"?
The resource "To plan" is a post-it. Each event assigned to a resource "To plan" will appear on the schedule
whatever the visualization mode (daily, weekly...) and the date.
What is a department?
A department is a group of human and/or material resources
A department can be a technical, sales service in a company.
Then, you will filter the schedule by department in order to display the resources of a department on your
screen.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 14 -
Resources
You have the possibility to add as many human and material resources as needed. The different types of
resources:
Human resources (employees name, employee function, teachers...)
Material resources (cars, rooms, equipments...)
Resources "To plan" (For events not assigned to resources yet)
Then, we are going to explain how to:
Group those resources by department
Group those resources by team
Enter hours and job contract for each employee
Create resources From PlanningPME, go to the menu "Data" -> "Resource"
The list of all your resources appears.
To create a new resource, press ”Add”.
To modify it, select the resource and then “Modify” or double click on the resource name.
To delete a resource, select the resource and then “Delete”.
From the resource Window, you can add all those information:
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 15 -
Label
This label will appear on the planning board.
Resource type
Choose if this resource is human, material or "To plan".
Human resource
Material resource
"To plan" resource
Hide this resource
Note that you have the possibility to hide a resource when your resource is not part of the company
anymore ticking on this option in order to keep track of the history.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 16 -
Other information
Choose a color for your resource.
Assign the resource to a department.
Etc…
So, you can create as many human and material resources as you want in a very simple way.
Display one or more resources on the screen
You can display the planning of one or more resources from here:
Zoom on resources of the type “To plan”
What is it used for?
The resource “To plan” is like a reminder and shows all events waiting to be allocated.
You can have as many events as you want on resources of the type « To Plan ».
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 17 -
Floating
Each event assigned to a resource "To plan" will appear on the schedule whatever the visualization
mode (daily, weekly...) and the date. When you know who is going to complete the job, you will be able
to move it via a "Drag and Drop".
Fixed
The events on the planning appear only on the planed dates and you can have several events at the same
time:
Height
For a better visualization of your events to be planned, you can change the height of “To plan type
resource from the card or directly from the screen shifting the bottom line.
Display a panel: have your events listed
You can have the list of all your events to be planned on a panel as shown below:
Order your events via the different fields shown and then assign them to your resources via a drag and
drop directly.
Departments
Group resources by department
You have the possibility to create departments, as an example: Sales department, Account department,
Technical team...
From your entire schedule, you can extract the schedule of one department for a better visibility.
Create departments
From PlanningPME, go to the menu "Data" -> "Department"
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 18 -
Click on “Add” and give a label to your department. Then select the resources for this department and
save.
You can add as many departments as you want following the same procedure.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 19 -
Moreover, to save time, with a right click, you can select or unselect all resources selecting the double
arrow. Then, close this window and go back to the screen display.
You can add a resource to a department directly from the “Resource” window.
Proceed the same way for all your resources. You can assign your resources to several departments.
Display one or more departments on the screen
You can filter by one or more departments from those filters:
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 20 -
Resources order by department
From the menu Data -> Department
To change the resources order, go to the menu Data -> Department.
The order is different for each department.
Change the resources order via a drag and drop or clicking on the top of the column name and press the
button “Save order”.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 21 -
Drag and Drop from the screen
You can also change the order of your resources directly on the screen.
Time Profiles
Create time profile Got to the menu Data -> Time profiles.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 22 -
You can create as many profiles as needed.
Here is the procedure:
- Click on the button « Add »
- Enter a name for your new profile and fill in the slots information
- If your employee attendances are the same one week to another, tick on « Define work capacity in
function of slots ».
- If your employees working hours change from a week to another, tick on « Define the capacity in
function of number of hours».
You can create specific weekly slots for each employee.
Visually, on the schedule, greyed days will correspond to non-worked days.
Assign a time profile to a resource Open the card of the resource, go to the tab “Slots” and select a profile.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 23 -
On the example below, Jean Marc do not work on Wednesday.
Job contracts
Go to the tab "Timetables" in the resource card. Put your mouse in a blank space in the contract table and
right click on the mouse. Then select "Add".
Enter a name for your contract: Ex: FULL TIME, PART TIME etc …
Choose a beginning date for your contract and an ending date if needed.
For each resource, you can create a specific contract.
On the schedule, the non-working periods appear in grey.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 24 -
Skills
Create and assign skills to your resources and to your tasks depending on your activity.
Allocate a task requiring specific skills to resources with those specific skills.
You can look for skilled resources available for a mission.
Manage easily skills of your resources
How to create domains and skills?
First, create specific skills depending on your activity.
From PlanningPME, Go to the menu “Data” -> “Skill"
You can create different domains and skills.
One domain is composed of several skills for example the domain “Language” is composed of the skills
“English”, “French”…
To create a field, put your mouse on a blank space of the window. Click on the right button of the mouse.
Then choose “Add a domain”
Type a name to your field. Then “save".
Select the domain where you want to add your skill then “right click” with your mouse and select “Add a
skill”. Type a label. Then “save".
Following the same process, you can create as many domains and skills as wanted.
Modify or delete a skill, right click on it and select “modify” or “delete”.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 25 -
Assign skills to your resources
You can assign skills to your resources in just some clicks. Here is the way to proceed:
Open the card of a resource and go to the tab "Skills".
Click on the button "Assign skills" and make your selection.
Assign skills to your tasks
From the menu "Data" -> "Task", open the task card and assign skills clicking on the button "Assign.
Check for skills adequacy
Once your skills assigned to your resources and tasks, the software will check the skills adequation
between tasks and resources.
Filter skilled resources on the planning board
To extract from the schedule skilled resources, you can play with the filter "Skill" at the top left side of
your screen.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 26 -
Tasks list
Customise your list of tasks
From PlanningPME, go to the menu “Data” -> “Task”
From this menu, you can find all the labels already created.
To add a new label, click on "Add" and type a new label before saving.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 27 -
Then, you have several options available to customize your tasks.
- Define the label
- Change the text and background colors
- Assign to specific departments
- Assign hours
- Assign skills
Events category
For each single event created on your schedule, you can assign a category. As an example, you can tell
whether an event is important or not, if a booking is confirmed or not.
Then, you can filter the schedule to have events of a certain category displayed.
Define the list of categories
From PlanningPME, go to the menu "Data" -> Category"
To add a category, type a label, then select the text and background colors and press the button “Add”.
You can also select hatching for the category.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 28 -
NB: Each event created on the planning will be by default of the first category of the list. For example,
“Not Confirmed” in the example below.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 29 -
Assign a category to an event
A category may be assigned to each event created in the schedule. This can be modified by a simple right
click on the event. With the use of hatching the categories may be more easily visible on the screen.
Fast change of the category for several events of one resource You can change the category of several events assigned to a resource via a right click on the resource and
then “Category”.
Then, this window will appear:
All events included between the dates selected will have their category changed in one shot.
Have the category displayed on the schedule
1- If you have added some hatchings to your category, you will see them directly on the planning:
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 30 -
Here, you have a double information: The color is the color selected for the task label and the haching
represent the category of this event.
2- You can display events in function of the color of the category on the screen from the menu
"Tools" -> "Options" -> "View" -> Color depending on Category. The background color of the event
will then be the color of the category of the event.
3- You can also filter events of one particular category from the filter at the top right-hand side
corner.
Unavailabilities list: Absences, vacations, leaves
You can manage days off (holidays, illness...) of your employees and non availabilities of your material
resources. A report shows you your employees’ days off: which type of days off, the number and the days
remaining.
Customise your list or unavailability
Pre-recording of the unavailibilities list
From PlanningPME, go to the menu “Data” -> “Unavailability”
Click on the button « Add », select the label of your unavailability the color and save it.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 31 -
Visualise your days off
Visualise all your employees leaves
Open the card of one of your resource and go to the tab « Unavailability ». The list of all leaves of each
employee for each year can be visualized:
To know exactly when your employees were off, click on the line and select button “History”.
Counter: You can put a visual counter for each label.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 32 -
General Setting for the count
Go to the menu « Tools » -> « Days Off ».
Fill in the information depending on your activity.
Beginning Days Off: From which day are calculated your days off? For most of the company, the first day
for the calculation is the 1st of January.
Days Off on: On 5 or 6 days?
If, for example, you select 5 days and that your employee is on vacation during 3 weeks, there will be 15
days counted.
Number of days off / Label for days off: Filling that two information will add a counter by default for all
your resources for the label selected.
Events status You can manage your own public holidays from the menu Data -> Public holiday
Definition For each event of the schedule like a task or an unavailability, you will be able to specify a status.
For example, you will be able to precise:
if a day off is in the “on request” or “validated” status
- if a meeting is in the « Not started » or « Finished » status for example
A status is represented by a coloured vertical bar to the left of the event rectangle.
The list of the task and unavailability status is entirely customized according to your business.
How to activate the status ? To begin with, activate the option in the menu Tools -> Options -> Event and select what you want to
activate :
- Activate the status for the tasks
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 33 -
- Activate the status for the unavailabilities
Customize your status list You can define two list of distinct status directly from the menu “Data”:
- Task status: customize your status list for the event such as “Tasks”
- Unavailability status: customize your status list for the events such as “Unavailabilities”
Define the label and text and background colours.
You can also specify the status by default when creating a new event on the schedule.
Assign a status to an event For each event created on the schedule, you can also assign a status to the event.
Then, you will be able to modify it with a simple click on the event:
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 34 -
Filter the schedule by status You can also use the filters “Task status” and “Unavailability status” at the top of your screen to filter the
events in the schedule
Refer to the chapter Filters in the schedule.
Access right management Refer to the Rights Management chapter
Rename "Task status" and « Unavailability status » with your own words From the menu « Tools » -> "Labels and formats", you have the possibility to rename these labels “Task
status” and “Unavailability status” with your own words.
Public holidays
You can manage your own public holidays from the menu Data -> Public holiday
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 35 -
Then, you will see them on the planning board with a different column color:
This color is the one you selected for “Public holiday” from the menu Tools -> Options -> Display
Clients
You can manage your clients within PlanningPME. The number of clients is not limited.
If you already have a client database, it is possible to import it in PlanningPME in order to avoid double
typing all the information. Target Skills can develop some scripts to do this import or you can use the
function to import from a txt file from the menu File -> Import -> Client.
Activation of the option
First of all, go to the menu “Tools” -> “Options” ->” Data" and select the option “Activate customers”.
Select the type of your clients (Individual or Company) and the number of clients by event and then save.
You now have a new feature “Client” from the menu “Data”.
Add, modify and delete clients
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 36 -
Go to the menu “Data” -> “Client”.
You can add, modify, hide or delete your clients from here.
Here are all the details you can add for each client:
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 37 -
Import your client’s database
In order to save time, you can import your client’s database from the menu: File -> Import -> Clients.
Check the “Import” section to know more.
Projects
With PlanningPME, you can manage your projects and if needed, your subprojects specifying for each
event the associated project.
Activation of the option Project
From the menu Tools -> Options -> Data, activate the option: "Activate Projects”
Add, modify and delete projects
From the menu “Data” -> “Project” you can add, modify or delete your projects from here.
Here are all the details you can add for each project:
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 38 -
From the “Project” icon within the event window
While creating a new event on the schedule, you can associate a project to this event.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 39 -
While creating a new event on the schedule, you can also create a new project directly via a
click on the “Project” red icon:
The project card will then open and you can create a new project. This project will be added on your list
of projects and you will be able to select this project directly next time:
Once the project selected, from this icon, you can open the card of the project and make modifications if
needed.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 40 -
From the “Project” view
Right click on left column and select « Add Project».
You can also open the card of your project and delete it from here.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 41 -
Search for a project Search from the “glass” icon in the event window
While creating a new event, you have a search on your projects in order to save time when you have a
long list:
Clicking on the “glass” icon, you will then have this search window:
You can make your search on the name of the project.
Search from the project view
Type a part of the name of your project and the planning board will be filtered rapidly:
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 42 -
Search from search window (Edit -> Search or CTRL + F)
Type a part of the name of your project and all the events will be listed:
Hide a project In order to keep track of the past events of one project without seeing it on the planning board, you can
hide it: from its card or right clicking on his name and then « hide ».
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 43 -
Delete several projects
You can delete several items from the menu Data, with the keys CTRL + DEL
You will have a message asking you if you want to delete the items.
Assign your projects to a client
It is possible to assign several projects to one client. To do so, on the project card, you have a drop-down
menu:
NB: To adapt the project filter as described below, activate the option on the menu Tools -> Option ->
User.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 44 -
Results when filtering by client
While filtering by client, only projects associated to this client will appear on the project filter.
Results while creating a new event
If you select one client first, projects associated to this client will appear on the project list.
If you select a project first, the client will be selected by default on the client list.
From Version 4.1. Assign your projects to a department
It is possible to assign a project to a department.
Then, when filtering by department, only projects associated to this department will be displayed on the
drop-down list.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 45 -
Tab Events: follow up of events allocated to a project
From the project card, you have a tab “Events” that lists all the past and future events allocated to this
project.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 46 -
History on the project creation and updates
From the project card, you have a link “History” at the left bottom hand side corner of the window that
list information about the project creation and modifications:
You know who created this project and when and who modified it:
Manage subprojects with PlanningPME
You can associate subprojects to a project. This add a level to the software if needed.
Activation of the option SubProject
Add a subproject
Open one of the projects. You now have a tab “Subproject” where you can add some
subprojects.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 47 -
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 48 -
Assign a subproject to an event
When creating an event, you can now select the project and the subproject associated:
Options around “projects” Customization of the terms "Project" and "Subproject".
In order to adapt PlanningPME to your activity, you can rename the label "Project" and "Subproject" from
the menu "Tools" -> "Language"
Add additional fields on the Project window.
You can create additional fields on the Project window. Check chapter on Additional fields’ creation.
Colours in function of a project
You can now display the colours of the boxes on the screen in function of the project colour.
To activate the option, go to the menu Tools -> Options -> View and select Colours depending on
“Project”.
Events dependencies – Gantt diagram
You can link your events to manage your projects efficiently.
Read chapter on events dependencies to know more.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 49 -
Manage your events and unavailabilities
We will describe here all the features available while creating your jobs on the planning board: create,
modify, delete events/unavailabilities, copy/paste, etc…
Create your events or unavailabilities on the schedule
On the schedule, an event will be represented by a coloured rectangle and unavailability will be
represented by a hatched coloured rectangle.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 50 -
Create an event
Different possibilities are available to create an event on the schedule:
Draw a rectangle on the schedule with your mouse
Via a Double-click
Double click on a blank space of the planning board.
Via a right click
Go on a blank space of the schedule, click right on your mouse and select "New task".
Go to the menu Action -> Task
- With the shortcut CTRL + N
Then, the following window appears:
Type a text in the label or select one on the dropping list.
The label are saved on the menu “Data” -> “Task”
Then, select the dates and hours for this task and save it clicking on OK.
A coloured rectangle appears on the schedule.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 51 -
Intuitive typing of the tasks label
When typing the beginning of a task label, the program now suggests some of the labels pre-registered in
order to save time.
Create unavailability
Different possibilities are available to create it:
Draw a rectangle on the schedule with your mouse
Draw a rectangle on the schedule with your mouse pressing the key "CTRL"
Via a right click
Go on a blank space of the schedule, click right on your mouse and select "New unavailability".
Go to the menu Action -> Unavailability
In all cases, the following window appears. You just have to select your unavailability and enter dates and
hours the same way as when you create event.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 52 -
Type a text in the label or select one on the dropping list.
The label are saved on the menu Data » -> « Unavailability »
Then, select the dates and hours for this unavailability and save it.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 53 -
Results on the screen:
The unavailability appears with hatchings.
Panels to create events and unavailabilities with a drag and drop
You can create events and unavailabilities easily just via a drag and drop from the panel to the planning
board.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 54 -
Activate from the menu Data
You can activate the panel for list of tasks, unavailability, templates, tasks to be planned from the menu
data. Click on the button “Show the panel”.
Activate from the menu “View”
You can display all the panels available and then close those you do not want to show.
Depending on your settings and your use of the planning, it will be interesting for you to use them all or
only one or two of them.
Below some videos:
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 55 -
Create your events easily via the panels
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEZBGcyOpR8
Manage your events "on hold" or "to plan" easily
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjZsZvF7vEE
Force the creation of an event
Even if the resource is already busy
You can now force the creation of an event even if the resource is already busy.
You will have this kind of message below.
If you press “Force Assignment”, the event will be created and you will have two events on the planning
as shown below:
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 56 -
Otherwise, the event will not be created.
NB: If you are already a client and that you are using the users rights, this feature will not be activated by
default so that the users will not have this permission. To activate it, go to the menu Data -> Group and
tick on the box “Force assignment”.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 57 -
Even if the resource is not skilled
You can now force the creation of an event even if the resource is not skilled.
First, assign a skill to a task from Data -> Task.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 58 -
On the example above, we assign the skill Excel to the task “Training ”.*
Then, on the planning, we try to allocate the task “Training” to a resource that do not have the skill
“Excel”.
You now have this message:
The task will then be created.
NB: If you do not want your users to use this function, you can give this permission from the menu Data ->
Group
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 59 -
Copy / Paste
Copy/Paste one event or unavailability
Select the event or unavailabilities, right click and select “Copy” (CTRL + C). Then paste it via a right click
and “Paste” or CTRL + V.
Copy/Paste several items of a resource to another
When several of your resources have the same activity (same hours, same events on a period time), you
can copy the activity of a resource and paste it to another resource.
Create the schedule of one of your resources first.
Display the period you need to copy and paste (week, month…)
Place your mouse on the resource, right click and select « Copy the activity »
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 60 -
Place your mouse on the other resource and click on the right button of your mouse and select « Paste the
activity ».
Thanks to this function, you will save time avoiding creating similar schedule several times.
Copy/Paste several items via the selection Mode
Via the selection Mode, you can select several events and then copy and paste them.
NB: you can copy and paste only on the time axis: Indeed, the events will be copied to the same
resources. Only dates will change.
Assign an event/unavailability to several resources
You can assign an event to several resources at a glance!
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 61 -
Create Multi-resources events
From PlanningPME, create an event on the schedule.
On the « Event » window, choose the tab « Resources » or tick on the box “Several" resources. The
following window appears.
The single arrow button allows you to select resources one by one
The double arrows button allows you to select all resources of the left window in one click
For a multi-selection, click on the name of the resources + touch CTRL before clicking on the single arrow.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 62 -
Point 1: Filter resources by department or by type
You can then assign the event to one or more resources of this department.
Point 2: Display only available resources
Selecting this box, you will avoid a double-booking. You can only select available resources on the period
chosen.
NB: if you have a lot of resources, this option can slow down your system.
Point 3: Display only resources under contract of employment
This is another filter.
So, you can assign event to one or more resources easily.
Separate Multi-resources events
You can divide events assigned to several resources to assign it to one resource independently to the
others. To do so, select the event, click right and select “Separate”.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 63 -
Then, you will be able to modify the event for the resource selected.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 64 -
Create periodical events
A periodical event is an event that is repeated on the time at regular intervals.
You can create recurrent events in order to save time. The function “Recurrence” will help you manage
monthly meeting, yearly appointments…
Create a periodical event
When creating an event, in the window “Event”, click on the button “Recurrence”.
The following window appears:
Enter the beginning and ending hours for this event or select "All day".
Choose the frequency: Daily, weekly… and days when this event takes place.
Enter the ending date for your event and save.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 65 -
Visualization on the planning board:
Daily recurrence
Weekly recurrence
NEW!!! From version 4.1. Monthly recurrence
You can select either one day in the month or select for instance the second Monday of the month.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 66 -
Yearly recurrence
Delete an occurrence or delete the series
You can delete an occurrence of a periodical event or delete all the series. To do so, select the event and
right click on the mouse.
Then, clicking on « Delete », this message will appear:
If you want to delete the selected event only, choose « the occurrence ».
If you want to delete all the series, choose « the series ».
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 67 -
Get off the recurrence one or several events
If you want, you can get off an event from its series either to:
- shift it
- activate a reminder only on this event...
-> To get off one event from the recurrence:
Select "Get off the recurrence".
-> To get off several events from the recurrence:
You can extract several events from the recurrence: It is useful when a person is on holidays.
To do so, click right on the resource and select "Get off the recurrence".
Select the period during which you want to get off the events from the recurrence.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 68 -
Be careful: The period of time displayed on the screen must include the period during which the resource
is off.
Events are then independent and you can reassign them to other resources or delete them.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 69 -
Modifications of events and unavailabilities
Shift an event or unavailability on the schedule
Via a Drag and Drop
Select the event or unavailabilities and shift it via a drag and drop directly on another resource and/or on
another date.
Open the window
You can also open the event or unavailability and change the dates and/or resources directly.
Shift several items via the selection mode
Creation mode This mode allows you to create events on the schedule drawing a rectangle or double
clicking.
Selection Mode This mode allows you to select several events at the same time and to move them on the
scale time.
While going to the “Selection” Mode, you can shift your events. After your action, the program will go
back automatically to the Creation Mode.
You can select several events at the same time drawing a rectangle grouping several events or selecting
them one by one with the key CTRL pressed on.
Shift your events along the scale time, dragging one of the selected events.
Careful: You can move your events along the time axis but not along the y-axis.
If you made a mistake, you can cancel the last operation pressing the keys CTRL + Z.
Stretch the box with your mouse directly Place your mouse at the right side of the box until your cursor become a triangle and change the duration
with your mouse stretching the box directly.
Confirmation message while shifting an event
In order to avoid planning mistakes while shifting a booking on the planning board, a new option was
added.
From the menu Tools -> Options -> User, you now have the option “Drag and drop confirmation”.
Then, while moving an event via a Drag and drop with your mouse, you will have this message:
“Are you sure you want to shift this event”?
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 70 -
Forbid events modification Lock your events
You can lock some events in order no one to modify them without your agreement. First of all, to have
access to this option, you must enter the schedule with user’s rights.
Put your mouse on the schedule and click right on your mouse. Select "Lock". You can visualize the locking
by an icon padlock.
Then, double clicking on the locked event, you will see the name of the user who locked the event. Here,
Paul
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 71 -
You can visualize the locking by an icon padlock.
Only the person responsible for the locking or the administrator will be authorized to unlock the event
selecting “unlock” with a right click.
Forbid creation and modification of events prior to the present day
You first have to activate the option going on -> tools -> options-> event and ticking on the option. Past
events to the current date or to the date selected will not be allowed to be modified.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 72 -
You will then have this message:
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 73 -
Split an event into 2 events on different durations
Select an event on the planning board.
Then, right click and select “Split”. Your event will be split into 2 events.
Burst an event into several 1-day duration events When you have an event of a duration in days, you can split it with a right click and have several events of
one-day duration.
Example: this 5 days duration event was divided into 5 events of 1 day.
You can use this option to put some different comment for each day or to assign the event to a different
resource each day.
Undo function
The UNDO function (CTRL + Z or Menu Edit -> Cancel) is working after doing the following actions:
When you create an event or unavailability -> The events created will be removed.
When you shift an event or unavailability -> Events shifted will go back to their original place.
When you split or divide an event or unavailability -> The action will be canceled
When you copy and paste an event or unavailability -> The action will be canceled
Delete events or unavailabilities
Delete one event/unavailability
Select an event and right click and then “Delete”.
Or you can press the key “delete” on your keyboard.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 74 -
Delete several events/unavailabilities
To delete several events, go on a selection mode and select your events.
Then, right click and select “delete” or press the key “delete”.
You will have this confirmation message.
Event duration
Assignment of a duration to the event in hours or days
When you affect a duration to an event, PlanningPME will calculate cleverly the ending date taking into
account your resources slots: slots and non-working days. You can also indicate a break.
How to use this feature?
Create an event on your schedule. In the dates, press the double arrow to display the duration option.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 75 -
Careful! An event with a duration can only be assigned to one resource.
NB : Ticking on "All day" you can enter a length in days.
Ticking off "All day" you can enter a length in hours.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 76 -
Slots button within the event window
You can register up to 4 slots button within the event window in order to save time:
When pressing one of the button, the hours defined for this slot will be automatically assigned.
To define the slots buttons, go to the menu « Tools » -> « Options » -> "Timetable"
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 77 -
You can create up to 4 slots ticking on the boxes « Slots » and giving them a name.
Example:
- Slot 1: Morning; 9h – 12h30
- Slot 2: Afternoon: 13h30 – 18h00
Tip: You can have the colours of the events displayed in function of the colour given for each slot
selecting “Timetables” from the menu Tools -> Options -> View.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 78 -
This option is useful while managing up to 4 different rotating shifts.
Define a break while creating an event
To activate this option, go to the menu Tools -> Options -> Event -> View and select the box
“Display a break time”.
You can indicate a break in hours. This time will be taken into account on the hours calculation.
Careful: Events with a duration in days can have a break in hours assigned! It will not be counted.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 79 -
Events options
PlanningPME is a software entirely customizable. It has initially a simple aspect and can become more
furnished depending on the options activated from the menu
Tools -> Options -> Event
We will describe on this document all the options you can activate from this window:
Number of resources by default
Choose if you prefer one or several resources for each event by default.
If you choose « Several », the tab « resources » will appear by default in the « Event » window.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 80 -
You can, of course, decide to assign an event to only one person even if you chose the option « Several »
and vice versa.
By default, we advise you to let this option to “Only one”.
Display a percentage of assignment Ticking on this option, a scrolling menu will appear on the event window:
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 81 -
What is useful for?
While assigning an event, if you do not want to decide which moment of the day your resource will do this
event, you can assign a percentage for this event!
Example: You would like to assign a half day appointment (4h) to your resource without deciding the real
hours:
On the schedule, the event will appear on the entire day. But, the real time counted is 50% of the day:
4h.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 82 -
Display a button « Availability »
Activating this option, a new icon appears on the event window.
You can find available resources for this event directly from here:
Event reminder using a date Selecting this option, you can now use a date as a reminder.
Then, when creating an event, we can specify a date and time for the reminder.
Display parameters tab in the event Intervention place and event division
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 83 -
When you create an event which takes place to the client’s address, tick on the first box. If you tick off this box and click on
the button « apply », a new tab « Place » will appear. You can then indicate the place of your appointment.
From this tab « Parameters », you can also decide to split the event ticking on the box « The event is
divided » then « Apply ». The Tab « Division » appears on your event window.
Click on “Add” to enter the beginning and ending dates of your divisions.
NB: You can also split your event via the icon " N Split" symbolized by this icon: at the top left side
of your screen. A cursor then appears and you can split your event on the schedule selecting the event and
cutting it with your mouse.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 84 -
Display invoicing tab in the event Tab "Billing"
When you create an event, a tab « Billing » will appear on the event window:
If you select the type of billing "Unit", the amount will be automatically calculated in function
of the event duration.
If you select the type of billing "Package", you can enter directly the total amount.
You can then know the total amount by resource or by client with the statistics For more
information, please see chapter on the statistics.
Assign only one event at the same time to a resource If you do not select this option, you will be able to allocate several events to a resource at the same time
period:
NB: If ever you select this option, you will also be able to create several events (if you have the
permissions) but you will have this warning message each time asking you if you want to force the
assignment or not:
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 85 -
Do not add new labels If you select this option, all the new labels that you type while creating an event on the planning board
will not be added on the list of your events in the menu Data -> Events.
Visualise rapidly events with comments You can know rapidly wich events have a comment thanks to the red triangle on the right top corner of
the box.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 86 -
Navigate easily, Change the views and Filter
Navigation
Change the time scale and dates
Time period displayed
You can choose the number of days you want to display on your screen from a daily view to several years
view. Selecting “More days” you can choose the exact number of days you want to display on your screen.
Zoom in/out
If you put your mouse on the dates bar directly, you can switch from a visualization to another clicking
right on your mouse (-) or clicking left (+).
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 87 -
Date choice
Choose the day you want your schedule to start from.
Clicking on the month or the year, go directly to the month or the year wanted.
Go from one week to another via shortcuts keys
Pressing the button (+) and (-) of your lapboard, you can go from a week to another directly. Those
shortcuts are the equivalent of a horizontal scrolling bar.
Change the date from the arrows
You can go from one week to the other from those arrows.
Change the views
Change the view: Resource, Task, Client, Project, Agenda, List
- Change the time scale and dates
- Filter events on the planning board from different criteria
- Display items In Use/Available on a defined view
- Create customized filters
Views available
You have many views available: Event, Client, Project, Map, Agenda, List views.
Resource View
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 88 -
Event View
Client View
Project View
Agenda View
List View
You can make your planning from all those different views.
Ways to change the view
Different ways to change the view:
From the drop down filter:
From the menu View -> View
From the keys shortcuts
Resource view: CTRL + 1
Task view: CTRL + 2
Client view: CTRL + 3
Project view: CTRL + 4
Agenda view: CTRL + 6
List view: CTRL + 7
Agenda View
In addition to the already existing views (resources, tasks, clients, projects, map), Target Skills now has
developed the “Agenda View”.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 89 -
Display the agenda View
From the drop-down list
You just need to select it from the drop-down list or the shortcut CTRL + 6.
From the resource view
Right click on one of the resource and select “Agenda”
Then, the agenda of the resource selected will be displayed:
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 90 -
Types of view
On the Agenda View, you have the choice between three types of view: daily, weekly and monthly.
Daily View
You can make a selection of the resources you want to display with the “resources” filter.
Weekly view
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 91 -
Monthly view
Settings of the view
From the menu Tools -> Options -> Display you can select different parameters:
Column width
Select the size of the resource column:
Time Scale
Select the precision of the display:
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 92 -
See minutes on the time scale
Select whether you want to see the minutes displayed or not.
List View
In addition to the already existing views (resources, tasks, clients, projects), Target Skills now has
developed the “List View”.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 93 -
Columns available
This list contains columns that you can customize in order to classify, display or not, filter.
Here is the list of fields available:
Display Additional fields in the List View
You can also select extra fields on the list view. You need to select the fields you want to add on the list
first from the menu View -> Description -> List and indicator
Selection, Ordering and grouping of the columns
Columns selection
You can hide columns that you do not want to display clicking right on the top of the column and then
select « Delete the column » or you can tick them on or off from the menu « Column ».
Ascending or descending order
Click on the top of the column directly to make the order or right click and select « Ascending order »
or« descending order »:
Columns ordering
Select the column and with your mouse, shift it.
Filters
You can also display the events list in function of a filter. To do so, select the column and shift it to the
box as shown below :
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 94 -
You can also right click at the top of the column and select « Grouped by field »
You will then have the events filtered this way:
Consult, modify and delete events
Double click on the event or right click and select « Open » :
You can then modify this appointment.
You can also delete one or several events with a right click and then « Delete ».
Consult, modify and delete events
Double click on the event or right click and select « Open ».
Copy events or Export to Excel After making your selection, you can copy your events or export them directly to Excel with a right click.
Filters
Drop Down filters
Filter the resources by department
Once your departments created from the menu Data -> Department, you can then filter the planning to
display resources of one specific department.
To display several departments, you can use this second filter :
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 95 -
NB: you can add some permissions in order to give restrictions on the access to the different departments.
See chapter on the user rights.
Filter the resources by name
We now have a new filter in order to filter more precisely.
This filter is adapted to the department selected: only resources from the department selected will be
listed.
Filter by category
Only events of the category selected will be displayed on the planning board on all the different views.
Filter by skill
You can extract resources having specific skills from the schedule. This filter is working only on the
“resource” view.
Filter by task label
Only tasks with this label will be displayed on the planning board.
Filter by unavailability
Only unavailabilities with this label will be displayed on the planning board.
Filter by client
You can display all the events of one or more clients on your screen.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 96 -
Filter by project
You can display events assigned to a project as previously for clients or events.
Function In Use / Available
You can display objects in use (CTRL + U) or Available (CTRL + A) on the planning board.
Filters ergonomy improved: Option to filter the lines
Option to activate from the menu Tools -> Options -> User -> Filter the line
When using the filters in PlanningPME, once you make your selection, not only events will be filtered but
also the lines.
So, depending on the way you are working, you can adapt the filters behavior to optimize your planning.
Customise your filters
Creation of personal filters combination
You can create a filters combination in order to save time.
On the planning board, make your selection.
Then, right click on the top bar here and select “Save as”. Give a name to your filters combination.
So, selecting the views you just saved, you can filter the planning with your own choices.
In just some clicks, combine different filters easily.
NB: Each user has access to his own filters and do not see the filters of the other users.
Filters on additional fields
Read next Chapter on the creation of specific data to know more.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 97 -
Customise your schedule with your own specific data, Menu
Data -> Customised fields
The creation of additional fields allows the customization of PlanningPME adding data specific to your
activity. You can add new specific data on the following windows:
- Task
- Client (Possibility to associate a list of equipments)
- Human resource
- Material resource
Illustration of this concept: below you have a newt tab created with some additional customized data.
Aim of the additional fields’ creation: Customize the schedule, display those fields on the schedule, in
your reports and have statistics. The fields you are going to create can be of several types.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 98 -
Overview of the different types of fields available
Text You can type information on one line:
Comment You will then have a box that you can fill in.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 99 -
Choice
You will then have a drop-down list.
For this type, you must insert values (Start a new line between each value) in order to have a scrolling
menu in the tab we are creating.
Date You will then have a date that you can select as the birth date of your human resources for example.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 100 -
Hour You can specify a time:
Number You can type a full number:
Decimal Number
You can type a decimal number:
Yes/No You can then tick on the field:
Separator It allows you to separate and order your additional fields with a line break.
Link to file For this type, you have the possibility to create a hyperlink to open a file from the software directly.
NEW!!! File This additional field is available only on SQL Server and MySQL.
The file will be uploaded directly within the database of PlanningPME and anyone will be able to open the
file wherever he is.
Select the file from the points and then, open it with the arrow.
Geolocation This additional field is linked to the mobile version of PlanningPME. Indeed, it will be possible to geolocate
your employee when he performs a job. The data on his location will then be displayed here once your
employee check in or out.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 101 -
Type Signature This additional is also linked to the mobile version of PlanningPME. Indeed, you can have a signature of
your client from the mobile version and you will see it here as an attachment.
Create additional fields
From PlanningPME, go to the menu "Data" -> "Additional fields »:
This warning message appear. Press “OK” and begin the set up.
Select in which window to have your new fields You can choose in which window you want to add some information: on the event, resource, client
projects, client equipment, Human resource and/or Material resource window.
NB : Do not use any punctuation sign (accent, points...)
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 102 -
Enter the Tab Title
If you want to add a new tab, type the name of your new tab first and you will see it here:
Create your new fields within this tab
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 103 -
Settings available when you create a new field
Column, Length, Width, Height You can specify those information while creating additional field:
Length: This one is a more technical field: this is the length of the path within the database. Do not
change it unless you are familiar with this data.
Column 1 Column 2
Height
Width
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 104 -
Creation on the main window: dimensions X, Y to specify You can create additional fields on the main window of the event, client and resources. For that you will
need to precise the location of your new field on the screen specifying the dimension
Mandatory field -> Mandatory standard fields
It is now possible to put some standard fields as the event label or the project name as mandatory.
X
Y
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 105 -
Then, while creating a new event on the planning, if one of the mandatory field is not filled in, you will
have a message asking you to fill this field otherwise the event will not be created.
As you can see here, the client must be filled in.
-> Mandatory additional fields
When creating a new field, you can select the option “Mandatory”:
Then, on the planning, if you do not fill this information, you will have this message:
So, you can force the users to fill some specific data.
Visible on the mobile version
You can select which additional fields you want your employees connecting via the mobile version to see
or not on the planning board.
Filter for fields of the type Choice This feature will be described in details in the chapter Filter on the extra fields.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 106 -
Zoom on clients equipments
Client Equipment: This word "Equipment" can be all kind of objects, equipments that you wish to link to
your client: machines, contacts, contracts, files, projects...
What is it used for? For each client, you will be able to create a list of the different acquisitions or "equipment" in
details.
Moreover, for each event assigned to a resource on the schedule, you can precise on which
"equipment" you are working.
So, on the client card, you will have the new tab you created with all the list of his equipments:
And when creating a new job, you will be able to select a client and then the equipment you are working
on:
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 107 -
How to create those "Equipments"? From PlanningPME, go to the menu “Data” -> “Additional fields” -> Client equipment – Tab
Create all the data you would like to have on each equipment:
Then, go to the client card and open the new tab created:
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 108 -
To add new equipment, click on “Add” and fill in the information:
Select an equipment while creating a new event Once your client selected, you can then select the equipment on the drop down list.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 109 -
Select the fields to display on the event window Select the box “Information” when you create your new field:
And you will see it here on the drop down menu of the event window:
Select the fields to display on the planning board From the menu View -> Description -> Event / Tooltip, you can display information on the equipments if
you want.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 110 -
Quick view of the extra fields
For a quicker sight on your additional data, it is now possible to display the content of the extra fields on
the schedule. This works for the Resources, the Clients and the Projects.
This is a way to have access to the information entered in your extra fields, as well as a new way to filter
your resources, since the content is taken into account by the filter.
Visualisation on a new column
On the planning, you can right-click on the space above the resources to have the menu “Column” appear.
Select the extra field you would like to see on the screen and it will be displayed as shown below:
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 111 -
This function is working for the resource, client and project view. So, you can display your specific data
easily!
Display the additional fields on the box
From the menu View -> Description -> Event / Tooltip, you can display the extra fields created.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 112 -
Filter on extra fields
You have different kind of filters on extra fields available.
Create customised filters from fields of the type “Choice” While creating additional fields of the type “choice”, if you select the option “Filter”, you can show them
on the planning board to filter the planning with those specific data.
Activate the filter
Activate the option from here:
AND add it on the View list here to activate (MANDATORY STEP)
Visualisation of the filter
You will see the filter on the screen here:
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 113 -
You can then filter the planning board. Filters are working the same ways as the other filters.
Filter the planning based on an extra field
Once your additional column displayed, you can even filter rapidly the schedule as shown below:
Import your data
You may have already a database with all the information on additional fields you created.
For example a list of your resources with information specific to each resource, a list of clients and
equipments etc...
To save time, we can develop some scripts to import your data on PlanningPME. The cost will depend on
the format of your files to import. Do not hesitate to contact Target Skills.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 114 -
Customise your schedule with your own dimensions, Menu Data
-> Additional dimensions
Introduction
Together we can go beyond the limits of the planning with PlanningPME integrating all your data:
Ask for an audit of your requirements and we’ll configure together your planning
Benefit from our experience with more than 3500 customers
1) Managing project steps
Directly insert the main steps of your projects through attached files.
2) Managing equipment
Manage the equipment and assign it to employees
3) Managing training attendees
Input attendees to your training without considering them as resources.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 115 -
Practical case: project steps
Would you like to plan main steps for your projects by adding attached files?
PlanningPME not only allows you to manage projects but also to create a PROJECTSTEP dimension in which
you can input your projects steps.
Go to the Data-Menu > New Dimension and add a new PROJECTSTEP dimension stating the project as a
parent. PlanningPME will create this new table in the database as well as the associated fields.
You can now add fields to the PROJECTSTEP dimension:
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 116 -
You can also input steps for your projects:
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 117 -
Practical case: assigning equipment to resources
Each firm own equipment like computers, mobiles, pads, cars… These are aimed to employees but don’t
need to be visible in the planning.
PlanningPME allows you to create an EQUIPMENT dimension in which you can input the equipment list.
Go to the Data-Menu > New Dimensions and add a new EQUIPMENT dimension stating no parent.
PlanningPME will create this new table in the database as well as the associated fields.
You can now add fields to the EQUIPMENT dimension:
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 118 -
You can also input equipment in the Data-Menu > Dimensions > Equipment:
Now that you have input the equipment, you need to allocate equipment to your resources specifying an
assignment date; you have to specify that the EQUIPMENT dimension is linked to resources. To do so, go
to the Data-Menu > New Dimensions, right-click on EQUIPMENT and select Relation to choose connection.
You should add a DATE field and activate filter to ease your selection. Activate the Check the unicity
check box so that PlanningPME can only allocate equipment to one and only one resource.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 119 -
You can now allocate equipment in the resource window:
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 120 -
Practical case: training management
Would you like to plan trainings for your customers and integrate attendees?
PlanningPME not only allows you to import or input customers but also to create a new ATTENDEE
dimension allowing you to input the name of attendees to a training for each customer you may have.
To do so, go to the Data-Menu > New Dimension and add a new ATTENDEE dimension stating the customer
/ client as a parent. PlanningPME will create this new table in the database as well as the associated
fields.
You can now add first name and name to the ATTENDEE dimension.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 121 -
You can also input attendees for each customer in Data-Menu > Dimensions > Attendee.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 122 -
You can also find the attendees in the customer window.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 123 -
Now that you have entered the attendees, you would like to plan a training with a series of attendees: you
need to specify that the ATTENDEE dimension is linked to the event (your training). For this, go to the
Data-Menu > New Dimensions and right-click on the Attendee dimension. Select Relation to choose the
sub-connections and options you’d like to have.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 124 -
You can now organize a training and select attendees to this training.
Select your preferences
Colours on the planning board
From the menu Tools -> Options -> Display, you can select color on your planning board.
Select the colour displayed for the box
On the schedule, each event is represented by a colored rectangle.
This color can be displayed depending on different types of fields:
- Task label
- Category of the event
- Client
- Slots
- Project
So, in order to recognize easily all events associated to a client, you can choose to display events
depending on the client color.
Select the colour by default
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 125 -
You can select colours by default for all those different items:
Play with the events gradient colours Gradient colours:
From the menu Tools -> Option -> User, you can activate options in order to play with gradient colours and
corners.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 126 -
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 127 -
Select fields displayed for the box, the tooltip and the list view
From the menu View -> Description, you can select the information you want to see on the following
destinations:
- Event: Boxes that represent events
- Tooltip
- List and indicator
The window below appears.
Select the fields with a double click on the field or selecting the field and then “Add” button.
Start a new line: This field allows you to have your description display on several lines.
Fields within the event box
Fields displayed on the box that represent an event:
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 128 -
Note that this description is adapted to each view:
On the client view, the name of the client will not appear.
On the Project view, the name of the project will not appear…
Tooltip
Fields on the yellow tooltip that appear when you put your mouse on an event:
List and indicators
You can add your additional fields on those views.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 129 -
Timetable preferences
From the menu Tools -> Options -> Timetable, you can select different customised settings for week and
hours preferences.
Working week
Select the days you usually work on from the wizard. Then, the default profile of your resources will take
into account those settings.
For example, if you do not work on Saturday and Sunday, the default profile for each resource will be the
same.
First day of the week
Select the first day of week. Then, on the calendar, the first column will be the first day selected:
And on the planning board, the week will be delimited as shown below:
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 130 -
Timetables
You can select your time preferences here. They will be displayed then while selecting the views morning,
afternoon, day.
Beginning and End time
While displaying the daily view, the time selected will be displayed.
Morning
While displaying the morning view, the time selected will be displayed.
Afternoon
While displaying the afternoon view, the time selected will be displayed.
Beginning of night hours
This setting will be used on Excel Pivot table to make reports on night hours.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 131 -
Preferences of the planning from the Language menu
From the menu Tools -> Language, you can select different customised settings.
Language
Select your language. You can define the language per computer.
The software PlanningPME is available in: french, english, german, spanish, dutch, italian, swedish
Terms
You can rename different fields in order to customise the planning to your activity.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 132 -
A client can be renamed a customer. A Task can be a mission….
The changes made will be transfered in the menu "Data" and in the filters and different windows name.
You can rename different fields in order to customise the planning to your activity.
Other
Number of decimal points
It is possible to choose the number of decimal points.
Decimal Separator
In function of the countries, the decimal separator can be:
A comma or a point.
From this menu, you can customize it:
NB: you will need to set up this option correctly in order to use Excel Pivot Table.
Monetary symbol
You can choose between all the currencies listed.
Hours and dates format
You can select the format of hours and dates.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 133 -
Other preferences
You can customise the planning to your activity selecting the colours, renaming some terms etc…
Preferences of the planning from the Options menu
From the menu Tools -> options -> View, you can select different display options.
Font and size
Choose the font: type and size; This font will be applied on all the schedule.
Brand
Select your logo. Optimal resolution: 45*45 (pixels) and bitmap format.
Maximum height of one line
You can raise the height of your lines for a better visibility.
Number of visible lines
You can select the number of lines displayed on your screen.
Display the event on all the day whatever its duration
If you want to see more information, you can select the option: Events not proportional to hours.
All the events on your planning board will appear on the whole day whatever the real duration as in the
example below.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 134 -
Activate refresh button
Select the first week of the year and display week numbers
Week Number 1 is either the week including the 1st of January or the week after (First week with 4 days).
So, in order to suit all markets and countries, you can now select this first week from the menu Tools ->
Options -> User.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 135 -
First week of the year:
Week including the 1st of January or not.
Display the week number
Why should you hide the week number?
It appears that depending on your Windows version, the week number is not the same as the one you
selected as “First week of the year”. This is not something that can be changed by Target Skills as there is
no solution yet on the market to solve this problem. That is why you have the option to hide the week
number if ever it does not correspond to your selection of “First week of the year”.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 136 -
Non working days keep visible
It is now possible to keep visible non working days.
For example, you have an event on several days as shown below:
Now, from the menu Tools -> Options -> User, you can select the option “Events not visible on days not
worked”.
You will then see the days not worked:
NB: If you plan events on days not worked, they will not be displayed if you select this option!
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 137 -
Search, Analyse and Print your data
Search your data and search available resources
Several types of search are available in PlanningPME.
- Function “Search” (CTRL + F)
It is a search of events by keywords.
- Search for availability: You can search for the availability of your resources in order to assign them an
event of certain duration, at a certain date depending on their skills.
Function “Search” (CTRL + F)
Find out easily your events thanks to keywords on a crowded schedule.
From PlanningPME, go to the menu "Edit" -> "Search" or press simultaneously the touch "CTRL" and "F"
or click on this icon :
The window below appears
Find an event
To find out your events easily, here is the way to proceed:
1 – Enter the keyword
2 – Choose the field where your keyword is present: event, comments, client or client N°…
3 – Click on the button « Find »
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 138 -
Results are then displayed on the results window.
For a best result, you can use the symbol '*'.
The symbol * means that there is some text before or after the keyword.
4 types of search are available:
- Exact search
Example of search: Training
Example of results: Training
- Keyword at the end of the sentence
Example of search: *client
Example of results: Maintenance client
- Keyword at the beginning of the sentence
Example of search: Intervention*
Example of results: Intervention from 1pm.
- Full text search
Example of search: *advanced*
Example of results: Word advanced training
Open or Delete an event
You can open or delete an event selecting one of the results and then, right click, “Open” or "Delete".
Search on additional fields
Now, you can make a search on the additional fields you created.
Search for resources, clients and projects
From the menu Data
While typing the first letters of the name of a resource, only resources beginning by those letters appear.
This new function also works on clients and projects.
From the planning board directly
You now have a fast “typing” zone at the left top side of the planning board:
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 139 -
So, when you type the label, the lines are filtered and the software is doing a full search.
This fast search is working on all the views of the planning board like the client view or the project view.
From the event window
When creating a new event, you can search by the project name or the client name pressing the “glass”
icon.
Search for available resources
This function allows you to find easily the resources available for a specific event without having to check
on your crowded screen.
From PlanningPME, go to the menu "Action" -> "Availability" or click on this icon:
The window below appears.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 140 -
Settings to find your available resources
Choose those different parameters:
-> From – Up to
Select the period you want to make your search on
-> Task
Select the task to perform on the list.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 141 -
-> Skills
If you select a task with skills predefined, only skilled resources will be displayed.
If you do not select any task label, you will be allowed to add a specific skill that your resource must have
to perform the job.
NB: To search for skilled resources, you must not select any task label.
-> Length
Duration of the task in hour or in days
-> Resource
Filter by department and even more precisely, by resource if needed.
You can also filter by resource under contract only.
-> Find button
Click on the button "Find": all resources with the skills mentioned and their first availability date will be
displayed on the screen, at the right side of the window.
Create your event
Select the resource available that will do the job, right click and select “New event”.
Your event will then open.
Option “Go to”
This option shows you on the screen the period of the result before you decide to create the new event.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 142 -
Indicators: Planning data displayed on real time
What is an indicator?
The indicators show real-time calculated data based on the information contained within the schedule.
They are displayed as lines, columns over a daily, weekly or monthly view.
This way you can see for instance, the number of a certain type of events, the total duration of another
one over a week or the number of not worked hours for one or several resources.
How to create an indicator?
When doing a right-click on the resources column the following menu appears:
You can select Add, and the sub menu containing ‘Resource’ and ‘Indicators’ appears.
The Indicator menu
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 143 -
Count
In the first section of the menu, you need to specify what data the indicator is going to be showing. Here
is the explanation of the different elements from this menu:
1: Data.
This is the type of the indicator; you have the choice between those items:
Type Description How to use it
Additional Field You have the possibility to process data
entered in the additional fields of the
events, clients, or resources.
You have to create extra fields
first. Then, Go to menu View ->
Description -> List and Indicator
and add the fields you will need
to be processed by the indicator.
Duration of the events With this option, the indicator will
display the duration of the selected
element. Number of hours of any given
task, duration of an unavailability, etc…
Add a criterion in the field [4],
specifying the Label of the event,
and validate
Effective Capacity This represents the ‘workable time’ for
a resource, based upon his/her time
slots and the unavailabilities.
Add a criterion in the field [4]
and specify the label of the
resource.
Not Worked time The global not worked time of the
resource.
Add a criterion and specify the
label of the resource.
Number of events The indicator will display how many
events there is, per day.
Add a criterion and specify the
label of the event / task.
Theoretic capacity Work time for a resource based on the
total of hours from his/her time slots.
Add a criterion and specify the
label of the resource.
2: Target
This value represents the maximum value to-be-reached for the indicator. It is displayed behind a ‘/’
symbol.
Example: an indicator showing the Effective Capacity over the Theoretic capacity:
Select Effective Capacity, and click on [Target], Select Theoretic Capacity. Validate, Select a Label for
your indicator, set a colour, and validate. Your indicator now shows the total of workable hours out of the
total work time of your resources.
3: Field
If you have added an extra field to the List and Indicator option, you will be able to select this field in the
drop down menu, and have the indicator display its value. Only ‘number’-format fields are processed.
4: Criteria
It is possible to add conditions related to the information you want to be displayed. You might want to
have the amount of time spent in a certain type of task displayed in the indicator, but you can refine it so
that it is limited to one or several resources, clients, departments, categories etc…
Example:
Select duration of the events, and add a [Target]:
- Duration of the events
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 144 -
- Criterion 1: Task . Label . = . “Meeting” (for instance)
Close the target Window
Select the criteria for our indicator:
- Criterion 1: Resource . Label . = . “Denis EMART”
- Criterion 2: Task . Label . = . “Meeting”
Select the ‘Hour’ Format.
Add a name, a colour and the location of your indicator, validate, and you should have on your planning
the hours spent in morning meetings for your Manager over all the hours spent in morning meetings for
everyone:
5: Format
You can select in which units you want the indicator to convert the data.
Day: The duration will be displayed in days.
Difference (Days): A calculation will be made between the duration of the [Target] and the
Duration of the [Criterion] of the indicator.
Difference (Hours): Same operation but measured in hours.
Example:
The [Target] is the hours of ‘Support’ of one resource.
- Duration of the events
- Criterion 1: Ressource . Label . = . “Fidel Sporcic”
- Criterion 2: Task . Label . = . “Support”
The [Criterion] of the indicator is the global amount of Support hours.
- Duration of the events
- Criterion 1: Task . Label . = . “Support”
Select ‘Difference (Hours)’ format, add name, colour, position, and validate.
Your indicator will display on the screen.
Hour: the time will be counted in hours
Percentage: If you need to show a ratio
Value: used for counting number of occurrences, extra fields values, any number that
is not a duration nor a ratio.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 145 -
View 6 - Label: You can set a name for the indicator, describing what this indicator stands for.
7 - Colors: This is the background colour of the indicator, as well as the color of its line on the
planning.
8 – Threshold: If the indicator exceeds the threshold value, then the corresponding color will be
displayed on the schedule.
9 – Height: The height of lines can be modified in this menu; you can also modify it directly by
click-holding and moving the top or bottom line of the indicator on the planning.
10 – Position: The indicator will be placed either above or below all the resources. The position is
dynamic and will automatically remain atop or at the bottom of the schedule.
11 – View: You can have the indicator displayed only on certain views; you can choose the view in
this drop down list.
12 – All Services: The indicator will be shown on every service by default. You can specify on which
service view it will appear if you need to restrain the access to the indicator.
13 – Private: the indicator will only be displayed for the current user, other users will not have
access to this indicator. Is opposed to the ‘All services’ option.
14 – Comments: Comment section for the indicator. The comment is displayed as a tooltip when
you point at the indicator on the schedule.
Using the indicators
Limiting the number of –a task- on the schedule
The management department cannot have more than 4 trainings a day with the clients.
We will define an indicator showing us when there are more events of this type than there must be
planned.
1) Select number of events. Add a criterion Task . Label . = . Training, validate. Select ‘Value’ as
format.
2) Add a name and a colour, click on threshold. Add a threshold which value is 4 with a red colour.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 146 -
The Indicator turns red.
This method can also be used to monitor how many of a task is done each day, or week.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 147 -
The Not-worked time of a department
The Not-worked time can be assimilated to the time left to a resource or a group of resources.
We will define an indicator showing the percentage of time remaining to a department.
1) Select ‘Not worked time’, add as criterion :
- Department . Label . = . ‘Accounts’
2) Add as format : ‘Percentage’
You will notice that there is no immediate effect, indeed, we need a reference to build the ratio; we will
add a [Target] to have the results.
3) Select ‘Theoretic Capacity’, validate
The theoretic capacity is the number of hours that a resource must work as defined in the time slots. The
program uses this value as a reference.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 148 -
Statistics from the menu Tools -> Statistics
Statistics defined on the software: Statistics by day, week or month of the hours worked by resource...
You can then make some statistics from this window pressing the button “Statistics”:
Criteria to select
Type
Choose whether you want to make statistics on your events, unavailabilities or contexts.
Statistics
Select the data on which you want to make your statistics: resources, events or clients
Unit
Have your statistics displayed on hours, days or number.
What is the unit “Number”?
While selecting this unit, the number of events or resources working on the period selected are counted.
-> Statistics on resources: The number shows the number of events for each resource.
-> Statistics on event: The number shows the number of resources for that event.
In the example below, we have four resources that had a development on 28:
-> Statistics on client
The number shows the number of resources working for this client.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 149 -
Dates
Give the beginning and the ending date for your statistics
Filter
It is the filter by departments. Make statistics on all your resources or on a particular department.
Column
Choose if you want your statistics to be displayed by day,
week or month.
Buttons description
Button Statistics
Press the button to have your statistics displayed:
Button Copy
Copy statistics displayed and paste them on a database such as Excel in order to save them.
Button Export
The statistics will be exported in a HTML format.
Button Print
Print your statistics
Workload
You can have the workload of resources on the time period selected.
It is calculated in function of the “slots” of the resource defined on the tab “Slots” in the resource card.
Cost
You can have the total cost of your resource that is calculated in function of the cost per hour you
specified from the resource card.
Billing
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 150 -
You can have the total cost of your events billing. The amount is calculated in function of the amount on
the tab “Billing” of the event window, if activated.
Excel Pivot Table
A powerful feature of our planning software PlanningPME is the possibility to make reports via Excel Pivot
Tables. All the data regarding resources, clients, projects, events, unavailabilities can be exported to
Excel in order to have precise reports. Pivot Table allows calculating and comparing all kinds of elements
in just some clicks.
You can make many reports on the data of your schedule.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 151 -
Moreover, once your templates created (reports on resources, clients, days off...), it will be possible to
update them easily selecting the dates only.
Create a new Excel report
From PlanningPME, go to the menu "Tools" -> "Pivot Table".
The following window appears:
Different steps and options to create your reports: New /Existing report
Create a new report or start from an existing report
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 152 -
Beginning Date and End date
Enter the beginning and ending dates of the period to analyse
Box Department
Tick on this box when a resource is part of several departments and you make reports by department.
Data
All the data you can make reports on
To analyse
Which data do you want to analyse? hours, days...
Lines
Which information must appear on the lines of your spreadsheet?
Columns
Which information must appear on the columns of your spreadsheet?
Filters
To have a filter on the Excel report.
Button Advanced
To select additional fields you would like to have on your Excel reports.
Button Excel
Press this button to generate your report
Save your report as an Excel Workbook Once your report created, do not forget to save it as an Excel format. Indeed, otherwise, it will be saved
as a txt file!
Build templates and Update your Excel reports easily
Do you know that you can save up to 10 templates in PlanningPME?
Indeed, once your different templates created, you will just need to update them regularly selecting the
dates in Pivot Table interface of PlanningPME.
Save your templates
Just save them clicking on the arrow here:
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 153 -
Update your reports
After having defined the type of reports you wish to have, you can now update your reports regularly
selecting the dates. Select "Existing report".
Then, select the template you wish to use on the drop down list.
Then, select the Beginning and End dates for your reports and press “Excel”.
Remove a template
Select your template and click on the “Cross” icon to remove the report from the list.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 154 -
Print Options
From the menu File -> Print, you have the possibility to print different views of the planning:
- Graphic schedule
- Operational schedule per resource
- Operational schedule per client
- Daily schedule
- Weekly schedule
- Operational schedule
- Status of unavailabilities
- Print an event
We are going to give you an overview of all the different options.
Settings before printing
Fields to print
To select the fields you would like to print, click on “Settings.”
Then, you select the data to print from here:
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 155 -
Time Period to print
Note that the time period printed is the one you see on your screen. If you display one week, one week
will be printed. If you display one month on your screen, one month will be printed.
Resources printed: one department or one resource
-> If you want to print the planning of one department, filter first the planning by department.
-> If you want to print the planning of one single resource, right click directly on the resource on the
screen and select Print.
Filters
You can first filter the planning by client or project for example. Then, only information related to the
planning filtered will be printed.
Title
You can give a title to the document printed if needed.
Print percentage
You can reduce the size of the text printed in order to print more information.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 156 -
Menu File -> Print Configuration
From the menu File -> Print configuration, you have those parameters available: Printer, Page Size,
Orientation.
Overview of all the prints available
Graphic schedule
This is the planning you see on the screen.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 157 -
Operational schedule per resource
It is the operational schedule per resource on the period that appears on your screen. Fields printed are
those chosen from the settings.
NB: We remind you that to print only one resource, you can right click on the resource name and select
“Print”.
Operational schedule per client
It is the operational schedule per client on the period selected on your screen.
If you wish to print the schedule of a single client, select it first on the client drop down menu.
Daily and weekly schedule
The print will look like that with the hours on the left size.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 158 -
Operational schedule
It is the chronological schedule for all resources on the period that appears on your screen. Here is an
example:
The schedule of all your resources is grouped in one schedule in a chronological order.
NB: If you have a lot of events to print, it is possible to print the schedule on several pages.
To do so, go to the menu Tools -> Option -> Advanced and select the number of lines per
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 159 -
page. A line represents the details of an event. The number of lines per page depends on your
screen resolution and the quantity of comments.
Status of unavailabilities
It is a resume of your resources days off and unavailabilities.
You know at any time how many days your employees have been off and how many days off
they still have for one year.
Print an event
Standard print
You have the possibility to print information on an event from PlanningPME.
Select an event on the schedule and then, right click and select "Print".
The fields printed by default are the following: Name of the event, Beginning and ending dates and hours,
Resource Name, Client Name and Address, Project Name, Comments.
Customised event print
Via a specific development, it is possible to print a customized mission sheet by event!
You just need to send us your template with the fields you want to display (with additional fields created
eventually). Contact us for more information.
The prices depend on your template and fields to synchronize.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 160 -
Notify your employees
Visualisation to HTML pages
Regularly, you can send your schedule on your local network or on the Web under HTML pages in order all
the employees to visualize the daily, weekly schedule.
Careful: You cannot make any changes from the Web on the schedule.
Definition
You can generate HYTML pages of the planning for visualisation.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 161 -
Double clicking on one of the events, its details appear:
Careful: Only resources that appear on your screen are synchronized.
If you want all your resources (including resources that does not appear on your screen) to be
synchronized (creation of several HTML pages), we suggest you to choose the solution PlanningPME HTML
or PlanningPME Web Access.
Set up
From PlanningPME, go to the menu "File" -> "HTML visualisation"
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 162 -
Instructions to generate your schedule on HTML pages:
Select the views
Select the views you want to synchronize. As an example, selecting weekly, the weekly schedule as you
can see it on your screen from the first day of the week will be sent on HTML pages on the folder chosen.
Directory
Indicate the folder where you want your HTML pages to be created. To do so, click on the arrow under
“Directory”.
Size
Select the width and the height of the pages generated (it can not be superior to your screen resolution)
Generate
You can synchronize « on start » or « on exit » of PlanningPME or simply clicking on the button
« Generate ».
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 163 -
Send an email
It is possible to send an email to inform the resource and/or the client of a new event.
From PlanningPME, go to the menu « Tools » -> « Options ». Choose the tab "Outlook". The
following window appears.
SMTP Configuration
Server SMTP: Specify the address of your server
E-mail Address: Specify the email of the sender
Name: Specify the name of the sender
Copy: Each time you send an email, a copy will be sent to the address mentioned here. New: You can add
several persons in copy of each email sent adding a comma “;” between each email address.
Mobile: Phone operator. Enter the suffix of the email address of the mobile. Depending on your phone
operator, this option will be available or not.
Precise if you want to send an email to the resource(s) assigned to the event, to the client or to both of
them (Resource + client)
Outlook Configuration
If you select Outlook you have more functions while sending an email. You can select the fields
on the subject of the email, on the body etc…
Select the subject of the email sent
You can select the fields you want to have while sending the email like Client Name + Project name or
whatever from the button “Subject”
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 164 -
Select fields on the email sent
You can also select the fields you want to have while sending an email from the button “Body”.
Display the message before sending it
It is possible to display the email and add any information or text you want before sending the email.
Attach the mission sheet
It is possible to attach a customized mission sheet while sending an email.
This mission sheet is the one you specified from Tools -> Options -> Mission Sheet.
To have your own customized mission sheet, we invite you to contact Target Skills to discuss your
requirements and have an estimate.
Send an email
Fill in the email address of your resources and clients to have the option activated: envelop icon
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 165 -
On the "Event" window, click on the envelop icon to send an instant message to all resources assigned to
the event, to the client or both depending on the options previously selected.
Send an Outlook invitation
From PlanningPME, you now have the possibility to send an Outlook invitation while creating a new event
just clicking on the icon below:
You can activate this option from Tools -> Options > Outlook.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 166 -
Visual alarm
You have the possibility to use a visual alarm which will remind you an event before its beginning: 5
minutes, 10 minutes, one hour before... or at a precise date and time.
Activation of a reminder before the beginning of an event
Tick on the box "Reminder" and choose the time for the reminder.
If you enter the planning with user rights, the reminder will be activated on the session of this user only.
The other users will not see the reminder.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 167 -
Activation of a reminder specifying a date and a time
To activate this kind of reminder, select the option on the menu Tools -> Options -> Event
Select “Event reminder using a date”.
Then, while creating an event on the planning board, you now have a calendar:
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 168 -
Events notifications
Be informed at a glance of the last changes on your planning via badges or notifications on the toolbars
What is a notification?
A notification informs users of new or modified events and/or unavailabilities that are related to the
planning activity.
The notifications can be defined per user and you can have relevant information on events and/or
unavailabilities changes for one or several resources.
Notifications can be activated in PlanningPME as red badges on the planning board and / or notifications
on your bottom toolbars.
Activate notifications
First, activate the option from the menu Tools -> Options -> Event and select "Activate notifications".
Then, on the menu "View", you will now see the menu "Notifications”.
Then, each user will do the settings of his own notifications: when connecting to his session (users rights
must be activated in the software), he can decide whether he wants to be informed of additions and/or
modifications of the events allocated to the different resources listed.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 169 -
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 170 -
Visualisation of the notifications on the planning
When a user logs in to the planning board, red buttons indicate which events (events or unavailabilities)
were created or modified on the scheduler.
Notification of the type "Badges"
The icon with a "+" symbolises a new event.
Notification of the type "Windows notification"
List of notifications
You also have a listing of all your notifications from the menu View -> Notifications:
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 171 -
Remove the notifications icons
If you want to remove the notifications icons, you just need to open the event or the unavailability. You
can also deselect the option "Activate notifications" from the menu View -> Notifications.
Other notifications
Events notifications when the application runs on the background
On the new version, when PlanningPME is not the main working window opened, instead of opening
PlanningPME as the first window, you now have some notifications.
-> When a new reminder comes up, you will have this notification on your screen:
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 172 -
Administrate your users and your data
Users rights
With a login and a password, each user or users groups will have specific access to the schedule (Modify,
Delete, Visualize...)
There are two steps to create users rights:
- Groups creation with specific rights
- Users assignment in each group
Vocabulary used
For each field of the software, you will have one or several boxes to select depending on the authorized
level of access. The different situations are as follows:
1st situation: You have only one box to select
You give access to this field or not.
Example:
Right not accessible:
Corresponding menu in the software: Data
The user does not have access to the user rights: fields are greyed out
2nd situation:
For each data (department, resource...), you can choose the following rights:
Consult: Reading access to the data concerned
Add: Addition of a new data (new department, new resource...)
Modify: Modification of the information on a data
Delete: Right to delete a data
3rd situation:
Visible: The fields entered can be read or not
Accessible: The different fields can be modified or not
Example: The different possibilities for the field "Label" are:
Visible and Accessible: Full rights
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 173 -
Visible but not Accessible
Not visible and not Accessible
Groups creation with specific rights
From PlanningPME, go to the menu "Data" -> "Group".
From this menu, you can create groups with specific rights on all functions and data of the schedule. Right
to create events, to visualize unavailabilities, right to print...
First, click on the button "Add" to create a new group.
In the "Group" window, several tabs appear. Let's explain rights for each tab.
Tab "General"
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 174 -
In the rights organization, there are 4 different domains:
- Internal Set up
- Definition of the structure
- Current use of the schedule
- Advanced functions
- View
We are going to describe those 4 domains hereafter.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 175 -
Internal set up
The internal set up of the software is an operation which occurs while
installing the software and then, episodically.
Those operations are done by the Administrator. It is necessary to be
trained on the software to modify those parameters which impact
every users.
You can choose who can or cannot have access to the following
parameters.
Available fields Corresponding fields in the software
Database File -> New schedule + Location
Purge File -> Database -> Purge
Registration of the licences File -> Identification + Registration via Internet or by file
Rights of users Data -> Group + User
Category Data -> Event category
State
Public holidays Data -> Public holidays
Additional fields Data -> Additional fields
Days Off Tools -> Days Off
Labels and formats Tools -> Labels and formats
Options Tools -> Options
Description View -> Description
Import File -> Import
Export File -> Export
History Data -> Event description
Notifications View -> Notifications
Synchronization File -> HTML visualization
Definition of the structure
The definition of the structure is an operation which occurs while installing and setting up the software.
It is then changed occasionally, while integrating a new resource or a new department or re-structuring
the society.
This structure is defined from the menu "Data".
Users rights Access from PlanningPME.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 176 -
Current use of the schedule
Those functions are currently used on the schedule: a user will be allowed or not to create events, to
delete them, to update them.
Available fields Corresponding fields in the software
List of tasks Data -> Task
List of unavailabilities Data -> Unavailability
Event Direct modification on the planning board
Unavailability Direct modification on the planning board
Context Access to the context feature
Indicator Access to the indicator feature
Milestone
Search - Find Edit -> Search
Statistics Tools -> Statistics
Pivot Table Tools -> Pivot Table
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 177 -
Copy/Paste Edit or right click on an event or on an unavailability -> Copy +
Paste
Printing File -> Print + Print preview + Print configuration
Selection / Creation Mode
Force Context Force the creation even if a resource is already busy
Force contraints Force the creation even if the contraint is not respected
Force Skill Force the creation even if the resource does not have the skill
Advanced functions of the schedule
Those functions must be used by trained users!
Available fields Corresponding fields in the software
Split
To Split Edit -> To split
Availability Edit -> Availability
Event Locking / Unlocking
For each window "Client", "Resource", etc... you can specify rights of access and visibility for each tab and
most of the fields of each window.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 178 -
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 179 -
Tab "Resources"
Each resource has a personal card. For each information, users rights can be assigned.
Access to the tabs: the tabs of the card are accessible or not
Tab Information: For each fields of this tab, it is possible to give a right to visualize and a right to modify.
"Human resource" and "Material resource" are tabs with additional fields customizable that can be created
on the resource card from the menu "Data" -> "Additional fields".
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 180 -
Tab "Client"
Each client has a personal card. For each information, users rights can be assigned.
Access to the tabs: the tabs of the card are accessible or not
Tab "General”: For each field of this tab, it will be possible to give rights of visualization and accessibility
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 181 -
Tab "Options"
You can give access or not to the tabs of the menu "Tools" -> "Options":
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 182 -
Tab "Event"
Tab1, Tab2 and Tab3 are tabs with additional fields customizable that can be created from the menu
"Data" -> "Additional fields". The tabs "Billing", "Parameters" and "Place" appear only if they are activated
on the menu "Tools" -> "Options".
Note that some fields as the event label or the project name can be mandatory to fill.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 183 -
Tab "Unavailability"
For each information of the unavailability window, access rights can be assigned. For each field of this
tab, it will be possible to give rights of visualization and accessibility.
Once all your groups registered with specific rights, you can create the users.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 184 -
Creation of the users
From PlanningPME, go to the menu "Data" -> "Users". You can create a login and a password for each user.
Enter a login
Enter a password
Confirm the password
Assign a group to this user
Mobile Access: to have this user on the mobile
application
Select the department(s) this user can visualize.
Select the department(s) the user will have access
in writing
Select the resource that corresponds to the user if
needed
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 185 -
You created a new user with specific rights on the schedule.
Tick on the box "Ask the user to enter his password" for users rights to be activated while opening the
schedule.
Next time you open PlanningPME, a login and a password will be asked.
Depending on your rights, you will have an access limited to the schedule.
Automatic authentication
If your user name is the same as your Windows user name, you will not have to enter a password. Your
rights will be automatically taken into account while opening PlanningPME.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 186 -
Give access to only one resource
If you assign the user to a resource on the planning board and that you do not select anything departments
for reading and writing access, then this user will see the planning of this resource only.
Select or deselect all departments
Right click at the top of your drop down list of department to save time checking on or off all boxes.
Access rights to clients You can limit the planning by clients: Then, when the user opens the planning, he will not see events
allocated to other clients.
From the menu Data -> User, you can now limit the list of clients per user.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 187 -
NB: You will first need to create a group with a minimum condition: « Access to all clients » must be
unchecked.
Then, when the user opens the planning, he will not see events allocated to other clients.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 188 -
Examples of permissions You can create those kinds of permission for example:
-> Rights to visualize the schedule of two departments and to modify the schedule of one department
-> Rights to create unavailabilities and not events
-> Right to modify comments of the event but not the other parameters of the event.
-> Rights to visualize the details on resources.
Offline Mode
We now added a new feature that allows you to work off-line with your planning!
Indeed, if you are not connected with your network (disconnected from your database), you will still be
able to create and modify events and unavailabilities on your schedule.
While reconnecting to your network, events and unavailabilities will be synchronised and there will be a
check for conflicts, if any.
Minimum requirements
This feature is working only if you have a SQL-Server database. The off-line mode is not working if you
have a MS Access database (pp file).
We can migrate your database from MS Access to SQL Server. Contact us to have more information.
When you are disconnected from the database, PlanningPME is creating an offline database.
Resume
Database SQL Server
Activation Create Groups and users
When Offline
You can Create events and unavailabilities
You can not Create new clients, projects, resources etc...
How to activate this feature?
Note that the Admin Group can not have access to the “Offline” mode as this feature is desactivated by
default. You will then need to create a new group and some users as described below.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 189 -
Menu Data -> Group
By default, this option is not activated on the users rights. So, you need to give the users permission from
the menu Data -> Group
Deselect “Offline unauthorized”.
Timeout: Specify the frequency of the tentative of reconnection to the database when offline
Days before / Days after: Define the period of synchronisation of events
You can synchronise a maximum period of 90 days before and after current date.
Menu Data -> User
Then, create a user part of this new group created from the menu Data -> User.
Do not forget to select the option “ask the user to enter his password”.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 190 -
Connect to the planning with your users rights
Then, you can open PlanningPME with your login and password:
When is the offline database created?
The Offline database is created when you close PlanningPME or when you are disconnected from the
database.
How can I see that I am offline?
You can see that you are offline when you see this icon here:
You will also get this message as a local database is then created on your computer:
What can I create when I am offline?
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 191 -
-> You can:
The user can Add/Modify/Delete events and unavailabilities depending on his users rights.
-> You can not:
The user can not Add/Modify/Delete resources, customers and projects (Settings that are in the menu
Data basically).
The user can not get an event off a recurrence.
How are conflicts handled?
If no users make modifications on the events that you changed, your modifications will be applied directly
when you are back on the online planning.
If another user change the same events, then this conflicts window will open:
-> You need to solve conflicts first before being able to work again online.
You can open the events via a double click to check details. Then, you need to select which modification
for this particular event should be applied.
On the print screen above, you have two conflicts: one for the event, Key 6 and another one for the
event, key 19.
You first need to select which change should be applied for each event to have the button “OK”
appearing:
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 192 -
Then, your modifications will be applied.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 193 -
History / Tracking
You will know who created the event and all events modifications and even deletions
Activation and creation of the new menu “History”
From the menu Tools -> Options -> Event activate the option “Save the history of events modifications”:
Then, you will have a new entry “History” from the menu “Tools”.
NB: Note that this new menu can lower speed performances of PlanningPME as it records all creations,
modifications and deletions within PlanningPME. We advise you to copy and then purge your data
regularly.
Information available on the “History” menu
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 194 -
This window shows all creations, modifications and deletions done on an event, project, client and
resources with that different information:
Date Hour: Date of the operation
Operation: Type of the operation: Creation, update or deletion
Type: Task, unavailability, resource, client, resource
Begin: Task/unavailability beginning date and time
End: Task/unavailability ending date and time
Label: Label of the task, resource, client, project or resource
Key: ID
User: User login if activated
Functions available within this new window
Filter the list easily
Type the keyword on the filter and the results will be filtered rapidly.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 195 -
Order the list chronologically:
Click on the top of each column to order the list as you want.
Purge the list:
Too many data here can lower your planning. You can purge regularly the results here so that next time
you connect to this menu, the list will be shorter and will be displayed more rapidly
Copy the list:
Copy / paste the results to an external file like Excel via a button
Users rights permissions
The access to the new menu can be allowed or not within users permissions.
Indeed, if the user does not have the permission, he will not be able to see the report.
Data tracked History of an event
Assigning access rights to your users, you will know the tracking for each events: creation date and all
modifications done.
This information appears when you click at the left bottom side of the event window on “History”.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 196 -
Then, details on this event will show:
History of a client
All creations and modifications on clients can be tracked when you click on “History” at the left bottom
side of the client window. To track the deletion of a client, you will need to go to the menu History
directly.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 197 -
History of a resource
All creations and modifications on resources can be tracked when you click on “History” at the left bottom
side of the resource window. To track the deletion of a resource, you will need to go to the menu History
directly.
History of a project
All creations and modifications on projects can be tracked when you click on “History” at the left bottom
side of the client window. To track the deletion of a project, you will need to go to the menu History
directly.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 198 -
Advanced data settings
Contexts management
We now have a new kind of event named "context" that allow you to add another dimension to the
schedule. Indeed, you can define where your employees work every days and then, within the context,
you can schedule appointments. For example, if you need to manage medical appointments with doctors
on different hospitals, you can first define on which hospital each doctor should work each day and then,
create appointments within this context.
Activate contexts
First, activate the option from the menu Tools -> Options -> Data and select "Activate as".
You now have a menu "Context" under "Data".
Add, modify or delete the list of contexts
To define a new context, press the button "Add".
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 199 -
You can then type a label for example "Hospital Chocolate" and define if this new context will be available
for all departments or only some of them. So, on the planning, if you have writing rights on one
department only, then only contextss defined for this department will be available while creating a new
"context" on the planning board.
To change the text and background color, select the label on the list and change the colours directly from
the "text" and "background" colours buttons at the bottom of the window.
To modify a context, double click on it on the list or right click and select "Modify".
To delete a context, select it from the list and then press "Delete".
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 200 -
Create, modify or delete a context
On the schedule, a context will be represented by a colored rectangle with dash dots as lines. To create a
new "context", right click on the planning board and select "New context".
The "Context" window will then open. You can select a label on the drop down list or type directly a new
label here. If you type a new label, it will be recorded on the menu Data -> Context.
Then, you can define beginning and end dates and time and even create a recurrent event if needed.
You can now see that employee Mark will work at hospital Alpha on that day:
To modify a context, right click on it and select "Open".
To delete a context, right click on it and select "delete".
To copy a context, right click on it and select "copy" and then paste it with a right click and then "Paste"
on another day and/or resource.
Display contexts of a department only
As mentioned earlier, you can define a context to one or more departments. Then, when filtering on one
department on the planning board, when you create a new "context" only contexts of this department will
appear on the drop down list.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 201 -
Intuitive typing
Intuitive typing is also activated on the drop down list of contexts. When typing the beginning of a label,
the program now suggests some of the labels pre-registered in order to save time.
Create some events and appointments within a context
You can then create some new appointments within this context drawing a box with your mouse.
Access rights to contexts defined per user
With the users rights management, you can define who can manage contexts: add, modify or delete rights.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 202 -
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 203 -
Events dependencies – Gantt chart
It is possible to manage events dependencies with PlanningPME and to precise a delay between each
event.
Visualisation on the planning:
When an event is shifted on the planning, the following linked events are shifted as well.
Activate this option
Option to activate in the menu Tools -> Options -> Event and select “Events dependencies”.
Add, modify, delete a link
Create a link
-> Right click on the events
Go to the first event, right click, select Link
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 204 -
Then, go to the second event and select …to
Results:
The black arrow shows that the events are linked.
Delete a link
Click on the arrow directly and select delete:
You can also remove a link easily in PlanningPME from the “Successors” window of the event:
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 205 -
Define a delay between the events
You can also precise a delay between two events clicking on the arrow. This windows appears:
When a delay is specified, the arrow colour changes from black to red.
Visualize the direct successors of an event
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 206 -
When you open an event, you now have a tab “Successors” that show you all the direct successors of an
event:
NB: You cannot add or delete any links from here.
Hide the links on the planning board
You can hide the links if your planning is too crowded via the command CTRL + L. then, this icon will
appear on your event linked:
Shift events on the planning board
Rules while shifting an event
1 -> While shifting an event in the future, previous events are not shifted. Only successive events are
shifted.
2 -> While shifting an event in the past, previous and next events are not shifted. If you shift an event in
the past and you do not respect the delay specified with the previous event, the software will not let you
shift it.
3 -> If a delay is specified, the delay is kept while shifting an event.
4 -> While shifting an event, there is no search for availability: if the resource already has an event
assigned, there will be two events displayed for the same day.
Example:
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 207 -
5 -> While shifting an event, there is no search for availability: if the resource already has an event
assigned, there will be two events displayed for the same day.
Example
On the example above, when we shift the green event:
- The brown event is shifted as well as it is a successive event
- The yellow event do not move as it is a previous event
Events template
Definition of a template An events template is a list of events with different durations and linked information like delay between
events.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 208 -
Within some industries like manufacturing, garages, calling predefined events templates are necessary
when having a new job to complete in order to save time avoiding creating one by one the events
allocated to one type of job.
Create a new template
Go to the menu Data -> Templates and click on "Add".
Label: Give a name to your template
Unit: Select the unit for your events: Minutes, hours or days
This unit will then be applied for the event duration and the delay between two events.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 209 -
N°: This is the event number
Task: Select your task on the drop down list. This list is the one you have on the menu “Data” -> “Tasks”
Duration: Specify the duration for each task
Predecessor: This field is not mandatory. You can precise here the predecessor of the task giving the
number of this task. The two tasks will then be linked. In the example below, the task “programming” is
linked to the task “Analysis”:
Delay: Delay between this event and its predecessor. This field is not mandatory. When you specify a
delay, it appears in red on the planning board. In the example below, the task “programming” is linked to
the task “Analysis” and the delay is 2 days:
Resource: This field is not mandatory. You can assign each event to a resource by default. Then, while
putting your template in production on the schedule, each event will be allocated to a resource by
default:
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 210 -
You then have this kind of events template:
You can create as many templates as you want:
You can see the duration for each template that is the sum of the duration for all the events of one
template.
Note that you can copy an already existing template in order to save time. To do so, just select the
template and press “Copy”. The template will then be copied and you can adjust it and rename it.
Creation of a new “job” from a template
Creation
In the planning board, right click and select “template”. Then, the list of all your templates will
be displayed and you can select one of them.
Then, this creation window appears:
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 211 -
You can specify the following information:
- Project Name
- Template
- Client Name
- Resource name: Only one resource can be assigned.
- Beginning date: the end date is calculate automatically from the events template.
- Comments
Then, in a first time, on the planning board, only one first event will be drawn:
Production
Then, once you want to put your new job in production, you just need to right click and then select
“Production”:
Your job will be divided into the different events you defined in the template.
Then, you can assign the different events to your resources and adjust your schedule.
Create all jobs directly while assigning the template
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 212 -
You can activate this option in order to create all the events directly skipping the step
“Produce”.
Rename “Template” and “Production”
In order to adapt PlanningPME to your activity, you can rename the label "Template" and "Production"
from the menu "Tools" -> "Labels and format"
Hide links
You can also hide the links of your schedule pressing the keys « CTRL + L » in order to have a good
overview of your schedule.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 213 -
Assign all events to one resource
If you need to shift all the events into one resource, just right click on one of the linked event and select
“Assign to”. Then, all events will be assigned to the resource selected.
Delete one event or all linked events You can decide to delete either one linked event or all the events linked.
To do so, right click on the event and select “Delete”:
Then, you will get this message:
if you press “Yes”, all the events linked will be
deleted.
If you press “No”, only the event selected will be
deleted.
Advanced IT functions
Synchronization with Outlook
You can synchronize both ways from PlanningPME to Outlook and from Outlook to PlanningPME.
Activation of this option
From PlanningPME, go to the menu « Tools » -> « Options » -> « Outlook ». The following window appears.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 214 -
Tick on the box « Authorize synchronization with Outlook ».
Fields
Select the fields you want to synchronise clicking on the button “Fields”
Do not synchronise events older than
Select the time period: All events older will not be synchronised.
Frequency
Choose the synchronization frequency - Minimum: 5 minutes
You are
Precise who you are: Choose on the list of human resources your name. Events created for this resource
selected will be synchronized to your Outlook.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 215 -
Select the different options of synchronization from Outlook to PlanningPME: Do you want to synchronize
all appointments and/or all events from Outlook to PlanningPME?
Select the different options of synchronization from PlanningPME to Outlook: Do you want to synchronize
all events to Outlook Calendar or Outlook Events?
From Outlook to PlanningPME
You can synchronize all appointments and / or events from Outlook to PlanningPME.
Description
Careful: All your events and / appointments will be imported the first time you activate this
option. Make sure you really want to activate this option.
Fields Synchronized
. Events marked as « Private » are not synchronized.
. Events not marked as “Private” are synchronized. Here are the details on the fields synchronized:
Outlook PlanningPME
Field 1 Subject Label
Field 2 Starting Date and Time Beginning Date and Time
Field 3 End Date and Time End Date and Time
Field 4 Comments Comments
Field 5 Reminder Reminder like shown here:
EXCEPT IF the option “Event reminder using a
date” is activated on the menu “Tools” ->
“Options” -> Event
In that case, the reminder will not be synchronized.
Behaviour of the synchronization
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 216 -
Action in Outlook Consequence in PlanningPME
Creation of an event in Outlook Calendar Creation of an event if the option “Synchronize
all appointments” is selected
Creation of an event in Outlook Creation of an event if the option “Synchronize
all events” is selected
Modification Modification
Deletion Deletion
Creation of a recurrent booking Nothing created
Creation of a private event No event created
See point IV.4 to learn about the behaviour of the synchronization if users rights are activated.
From PlanningPME to Outlook
Synchronization of all the events
You can synchronize all events from PlanningPME to Outlook appointments or events.
The events will be synchronized automatically to Outlook Appointments OR Events.
You also have the possibility to select task by task whether you want to send them to Outlook tasks or
appointments. See next chapter.
Synchronization task by task
To decide task by task which ones will be sent to Outlook, do not activate this option below:
Then, on the planning board, for each task, you can decide if you want to synchronize them to Outlook
task or appointment with a right click, Outlook -> Synchronize to tasks or appointments.
You can also decide to stop the synchronization event by event with a right click -> Outlook -> Stop the
synchronization.
Fields Synchronized
. NB: Only events are synchronized. Unavailabilities are not synchronized.
The reminder is also synchronised:
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 217 -
NB: If the option “Event reminder using a date” is activated, the reminder will not be synchronized in
Outlook.
Behaviour of the synchronization
Action in PlanningPME Consequence in Outlook
Creation of an event Creation of an event
Modification of an event Modification
Deletion of a task Deletion
Creation of an unavailability Nothing created
Creation of a periodical event Nothing created
Event gotten off the recurrence Creation of an event or an event
Behaviour of the synchronization when users rights are activated 1st scenario - Users permissions: Reading access but not writing access
Menu Data -> User
This user can visualize all departments but do not have writing access to the departments.
It means that he is not allowed to add, modify or delete anything on the schedule.
So, if he tries to make some changes on his Outlook, here is the behaviour of the synchronization:
Action in Outlook Result
Creation of an event or an event in Outlook Nothing created
Modification of an event or event in Outlook No changes in PlanningPME – At the next
synchronization, the event modified will be back to its
initial place.
Deletion of an event or event in Outlook No changes in PlanningPME – At the next
synchronization, the event deleted will be back.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 218 -
2nd scenario - Groups permissions on the Event field
Menu Data -> Group
The rights selected for the Event (Add, Modify, Delete) will be applied while synchronizing.
Master Data
If an event is modified both in Outlook and PlanningPME, the latest modification will be taken into
account.
With this synchronization, you will save time avoiding a double typing of your appointments and other
events.
Description of the comments in Outlook
Now, you can select the fields you want to have on the comments while synchronizing your events with
Outlook from the button “Fields”.
If you select some fields here, the comments box in Outlook will show the fields you selected.
If you do not select anything on the outlook description, the comments in PlanningPME will be
synchronized with the comments in Outlook. Otherwise, if selecting some fields and that you add some
more comments in Outlook, the updates will not be done from Outlook to PlanningPME. PlanningPME
description will always be the master data.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 219 -
Import / Export of data from PlanningPME
You can Import / Export data on clients, events and unavailabilities under special txt format from the
menu File -> Import or Export.
Import
It is possible to import clients, events or unavailabilities under text format with tabulation as separator.
NB: To work with Excel files, you will first have to convert your Excel file under text file.
Import your clients
From PlanningPME, go to the menu "File" -> "Import" -> "Clients"
Upload your text file clicking on the arrow of the window below.
Associate the corresponding fields selecting the available fields on the left and the base field on the right.
Then click on "Import".
Import events or unavailabilities
The set up to import events or unavailabilities is more complex than for clients. Indeed, your text file
must have a precise format.
The events will be created automatically on the schedule if your text file is correct.
Format type of the text file:
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 220 -
For more information on this type of import, you can contact our technical team:
Export
You can export your clients, events and unavailabilities under text files.
From PlanningPME, go to the menu "File" -> "Export".
Clients export
Enter the name of the file exported and save.
The exported file looks like this text file:
Events or unavailabilities export
Give the period of time you want to export.
Click on "Export" and save your text file.
The exported file looks like this text file:
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 221 -
Functions for IT specialists and developers
Performances of the database
We now have more information on the performances of PlanningPME from the Menu File -> Database ->
Performances.
It allows to have an idea of the performances of the database on loading, calculation, number of data.
Improve performances
Also, to increase your planning performances, if not done yet, we highly advise you to migrate from MS
Access to SQL Server database. Contact Target Skills for more information.
Have your database hosted on Target Skills servers
If you want Target Skills to host your database and assume the full maintenance on your system, you can
now have your database hosted on our server. We invite you to contact your sales contact in order to have
more information.
Scripts execution
You can launch some scripts while launching or charging PlanningPME. You can add them from the menu
Tools -> Options -> Advanced.
Tutorial PlanningPME Desktop version - 222 -
Charging PlanningPME =Creation, modification or deletion of an event on the planning board.
Launch of the schedule with criteria
Ex1: planningpme
/date=1/1/2009 /filter=Administration /planning=Monthly
/view=resource /[champ sup]=[value].
Ex2: planningpme /base=Driver={Oracle in O
raHome92};DBQ=PLANNING;UID=PLANNING;
PWD=PLANNING /oledb=1 /schema=PLANNING. /fr=0 /us=0
Object model PlanningPME COM
You have the possibility to make links between your databases and /or management softwares and
PlanningPME.
- PlanningPME COM: http://www.planningpme.com/object-model-planningpme.htm
As an example, you can import your existing client database in PlanningPME and, then, you can
synchronize regularly those databases. you avoid double typing!
PlanningPME COM allows you to integrate PlanningPME into your data system.
Plugin PlanningPME
Why a plug-in PlanningPME?
- In order to insert controls (button) in the PlanningPME interface and associate actions.
- In order to make automatic actions for example add or update an event.
Top Related